Mahal forsake me to join this quest, I know not why
by Chenelle Nadadith
Summary: The quest to reclaim Erebor. If would've gone as Thorin planned, 13 dwarves, one hobbit and a wizard. If it wasn't for an unsuspected visitor. Who happened to be quite close with everyone he slightly disliked. Like our burglar for starters.
1. Prologue

The quest to reclaim Erebor.  
If would've gone as Thorin planned, 13 dwarves, one hobbit and a wizard.  
If it wasn't for an unsuspected visitor.  
Who happened to be quite close with everyone he slightly disliked.  
Like our burglar for starters.


	2. The unexpected burglar

When Bilbo Baggins sat down for dinner that night he was not suspecting that 13 dwaves and Gandalf would come bustling in and emptying out his pantry as if they owned the place, not at all. But they did and it happened. Dear me, if any off the Sackville-Bagginses had seen that, what a fright it would've been.

No he did not want to disappoint the dwarves, so he let them pillage his pantry, stack and clean his dishes, sing such a solemn hym infront of his fire place, but no, he could not turn down the Tookish side of him which was drawn to the haunting sapphire blue eyes that glanced at him in utter annoyance.

Bilbo Baggins of BagEnd promised to himself that he would not let anything, anything, stop him from helping the dwarves reclaim their homeland.

* * *

Then, the next morning he ran out off his door, down the footpaths and over fence off onto and adventure.

* * *

"I signed it!" He exclaimed, waving the contract like a banner, receiving heartful pats on the back, before passing the banner to Balin, who checked it once over and annouced to the company.

"It seems that everything is in order."

"Give him a pony!" Thorin ordered gruffly.

Bilbo was quite horrified, and began protesting.

"Arhh." He was lifted onto a pony by the scruff of his shoulders by Fili and Kili, who rode beside him.

"Wait! I forgot my handkerchief." He gasped.

Then he took note of the look of disbelief on Thorin's face and shrunk back.

Bofur tossed him a rag and they continued on.

* * *

Bilbo couldn't sleep, Gloin's snoring was keeping him awake.

Getting up, quietly he made his way over to the ponies, Myrtle to be exact.

"Here you go Myrtle. This is between you and me, our little secret." He whispered.

A sharp peircing yowl broke through the silence and Bilbo practically pranced towards Fili and Kili, who were on watch.

"What was that?" He asked fearfully, eyes wide

"Orcs." Kili said carelessly, taking note off the terrified expression on the little hobbits face.

"Orcs?!" He repeated at a much higher pitch, causing Thorin to stir from a light sleep next to the group.

Thorin sat up and listened closely to the conversation that his nephews were having with the hobbit.

"There'll be dozens of them out there."

"Aye, the lowlands are crawling with them." Fili joined in as Bilbo's eyes grew wider.

"The come in the middle of the night, quick and quiet, no screams just blood." Kili said, lifting his pipe to his lips.

As Bilbo looked around the company fearfully, Kili and Fili turned their heads to hide their snickers and smiles.

"You think that its funny? You think a night raid by orcs is a joke!" Thorin scolded, his tone harsh and expression solemn.

"We didn't mean anything by it." Kili said softly, head falling in shame.

"No you didn't, you know nothing off the world." Thorin chastised gruffly.

He walked off to the ponies, staring over the trees.

"Don't mind him laddie, Thorin just has more cause to hate Orcs." Balin said from next to the four.

"After the dragon attacked Erebor, Thrain, Thorin's father, tried to reclaim the Ancient Dwarf Kingdom of Moria, but our enemy had gotten there first. Moria was taken, by legions of orcs, led by the leader of their race, Azog the Defiler, The Pale Orc. Azog had sworn to cut off the line off Durin, he began by beheading the king."

Thorin stood unwavered at the edge of the outcrop as Balin told of The Battle of Moria.

"We were leaderless, death was upon us, that's when I saw him, a young dwarf prince facing down the giant Gundabarg Orc, his armour rent, wearing nothing but and Oaken branch as a shield."

Most of the company was awake now, staring at Thorin in awe, and respect.

"And that is when I thought to myself, there is one I could follow, there is one I could call, king." Thorin turned and noticed as the entire company stood before him with respect, with loyalty, with honour and wiling heart.

Thorin walked back through the crowd and back to his place on the protruding next to the fire.

"And the Pale Orc, what happened to him?" Bilbo asked, slightly more relaxed but still worried.

"That filth!" Thorin spat. "Slunk back into the hole whence he came, he died of his wounds long ago."

Balin and Gandalf shared a look and Fili and Kili did not miss to catch it as their hobbit looked at Thorin, awe in his eyes, his eyes promising to help him.

Sleep was far away that night, as Bilbo Baggins replayed everything that had happened in his head since dinner with the dwarves, to this very moment.

"Loyalty, honour and willing heart." He heard Thorin say back in his hobbit hole.

'Willing heart indeed Thorin Oakenshield.' He thought to himself. 'Willing heart indeed.'


	3. The unexpected visitor

Despite the rain that was pouring over them over them. Bilbo managed to keep in lightened spirits, that was until Dori set the mood for complaining to Gandalf.

"Mister Gandalf, can't you do something about this deluge?" Dori called from behind and Bilbo looked at Gandalf expectantly.

"It is raining master dwarf, and it will continue to do so until it is done. If you wish to change the weather you might have to find another wizard." Gandalf said.

"And are there any?" Bilbo asked.

"Any what?"

"Other wizards?"

"The greatest of our order is Samuran, the white. Next are the two blues, although I've quite forgotten their names. The last of our order is Radaghast, the brown."

"Is he a great wizard, or is he?" Bilbo hesitated. "More like you?"

Dori and Ori both stiffled their laughter as Gandalf looked quite offended at the question.

"He's a gentle soul who prefers the company of animals to others, he keeps a watchful eye over the woods to the East, and it's a good thing too, for always evil will look for a foot hold in his world." Gandalf warned.

There were rustles and crashes and a rider burst through the bushes to the right off the company, drenched, hood pulled over the riders head. Their horse reared and they stopped infront of the company.

"Mekh'at! Du behkar!" Thorin shouted.

"Stop! I mean no harm!" The rider shouted.

"Who are you, show your face!" Thorin ordered.

The rider dismounted and knelt bowing, head down low.

"I am Tharwen, daughter of Karin, I do not wish any harm to any of your company." She said, hood falling from her head as she stood.

"Tharwen?" Both Gandalf and Bilbo said, quite shocked.

"Ah, Mister Gandalf, and my Master Bilbo it has been a long time I might say." Tharwen said, glancing cautiously at Thorin.

"Thorin Oakenshield, may I introduce you to Tharwen Karewin. One of the last of the Tharken, protecter off these parts. Tharwen, may I introduce you to Thorin Oakenshield, son of Thrain, son of Thror."

"Thorin Oakenshield, King under the Mountain. Tharwen Karewin, at your service."

"Thorin Oakenshield, at yours." Thorin said gruffly.

Whispers passed through the company, as Tharwen moved to Gandalfs side.

"Gandalf, why are there orcs, coming so close to these parts?" She hissed.

"Well that may be us, we're merely-"

"No excuses Gandalf, move on before I make you, there have never been any orc attacks since," She hesitated. "Since Fharwen and Darien. And we all know what happened then! Leave these parts." She growled.

"Gandalf! We should either move on or make for shelter." Thorin said.

"Listen to the dwarf and go." She warned and turned to make leave.

* * *

"Don't leave Tharwen, I don't think I could stand these dwarves much longer." Bilbo pleaded, pulling on Tharwens cloak sleeve.

"I can see why." She muttered, plonking onto the hard stone next to Bilbo, wringing the water out of her dark hair.

"Insufferable, annoying, inconsiderate, disastrous dwarves." She huffed.

There were twin thumps as the two princes joined the two sitting on the ground.

"Fili, and Kili, at your service." The two said smiling.

"Nice to meet you both."

"So, how do you know Master Bilbo?"

"How old are you?"

"Have you been to Erid Luin?"

"Are you princess?"

"Have you been courted yet?"

Kili got an elbow to the ribs as Fili gave him a dissapointing glance.

"I've known Bilbo since he was a fauntling, I'm sure it's rude to ask that, even if you both are princes, yes I have been to Erid Luin, it could be seen like I am a princess, not what I'm called, but close enough in the common tongue, and no Master Dwarf, I am not being courted, there have been offers, but I am simply not interested anymore." She said and Kili's face went bright red in embarrassment.

"How did you know we were princes?" Fili asked.

"I know the Durin crest when I see it, I also know the Durin bead when I see it as well." She said carelessly.

"Tharwen pleaseee, answer my question pleasee?" Bilbo asked, pleadingly.

"Oh fine Bilbo, I will."

"Thank you."

"Getting tired off our company already Bilbo?" Fili asked.

"Just nice to see someone familiar."

"Can you tell me more stories of the Tharken?" Bilbo asked. "Like when I was younger?"

"Of course Bilbo. Now the one about the Tharken prince who betrayed his brother, or the Tharken warriors, The Battle against Dhearow?" She asked.

"The Tharken prince of course, I never found out the ending." Bilbo said, wrapping a blanket around him as the two princes both cuddled together against the rocky wall next to Bilbo."

"The Tharkens were awaiting another coronation day, their king, King Harien, a girlish name I know, was stepping down, so his eldest son could become king. Prince Warren II, was a wonderful prince, now since Tharkens are decendents from both Dwarvish and Elvish ancestors, their looks were quite stunning, long dark rivalling hair that flowed down to his waist in intricate braids. His azure eyes capturing the light as it shone through the day. Now the prince was bound to have a princess, but Prince Warren did not, for his consort, was his younger brother, Prince Karren III, they were simply and utterly inlove. But it did not work to their favour, Tharkens have nothing against love formed through bonds in family, they excepted it infact, with open arms, but for Warren to become king, Karren could not be allowed next in line to the throne if he was to be his consort."

"But that's not fair!" Kili pointed out.

"Indeed it isn't my dear prince. But it was what it was. As I said, Karren could not be the next heir and he was jealous, very jealous, he ran off in the middle off the night when the anouncement came, envious, jealous, anger and his brothers pity only fueled his raging temper. He'd join forces with the orcs and tried to kill his own brother on his own coronation day."

"What?! But that's cruel!" Fili interuppted this time.

Tharwen only glared at Fili before continuing without a stumble.

"Warren saw Karren fighting through the crowd and he ran too meet him with his sword, screaming, pleading with Karren to stop this madness. Orcs had aimed their arrows from the highest vantage points, on the eastern towers of the castle. Their arrows let fly and instead of Karren using the distraction to his advantage, he flung himself infront of Warren, arrows piercing his back, they didn't kill Karren, not instantly, but the howls and cires of Warren stilled the fighting around them as both Orcs and Tharkens watched as the soon too be king, knelt on the ground holding his brother, his loves head in his lap, cradling it and Karren apologized, over and over again, begging for forgiveness, Warren did, he did forgive, he forgave Karren with one last kiss, whispering words of comfort to the dying prince."

"So his brother died? That's unfair!" This time it wasn't any of the three who interrupted but Bofur, who seemed to be listening to the story as well.

"Let me finish! Now what Warren didn't see was the mark on Karrens right forearm, this mark was a branding, the sign off darkness. Tharkens do not fear many things, but brandings of the Kiz'lan were one off the few we did. Kiz'lan were, dark forces, they ruled over all things evil, and being branded was, was to have your mind entered, every memory tainted, spoilt to the worst of nightmares. The prince only noticed the mark as he looked up from his brothers necklace, one that he'd given at the start of their courting, and he shook violently as the tears fell faster, as if there was already no end to his grief."

Tharwen looked solemn as she paused, looking at the four faces that stared in awe and tragedy.

"A king cannot ruled to the fullest of his wonder with his mind consumed by grief, but still, King Warren II, son of Harien, had sworn to avenge his brother and keep his kin, and any other kin that knew the Kiz'lans wrath, safe. King Warren died not long after his coronation, at such a young age too, but his cousin, Dairen I, became king, and took over what Warren had started, a beautiful, proud, kingdom of warriors. The two brothers, lovers, lay side by side in their tombs, buried together, their stone coffins engraved with their courting vows. They both held a love so deeply, Aule help them if they were not to be admired. They're love was all that mattered to them, even Karren, with bitterness invading his mind, rests peacefully in the tombs of Tharthen."

Tharwen turned and saw that most off the company was infact listening to the story she had told, including Thorin.

"Didn't you mention someone called Darien to Gandalf earlier?" Kili asked before Fili could stop him.

"Aye, that, would be my younger brother. Darien IV he was named after King Darien, the one I mentioned in the story..." She lowered her head.

"Shouldn't you be with family instead of out here? Lady Tharwen." Balin asked from the side.

"If I, never mind, Fharwen can fend for himself, he is my older brother after all, and as Gandalf would know, a skilled swordsman."

"Tharkens are descendents of both Elves and Dwarves? What are your Elvish features?" Ori asked, realizing the topic was quite uncomfortable for the Tharken therefore switching the subject.

"Pointy ears for one, our height is another, our poker faces, that's mainly it, besides from speaking many languages. Our Dwarvish side is much more noticeable although majority did inherit Dwarvish tempers, but we're warriors, craftsman, we're light on our feet and like Elves we have the ability to walk on snow. Many other things Master Dwarf, perhaps you'll be interested in books from the Tharken libraries, instead off hearing my voice. As annoying as it is, I think I'll shut up." Tharwen said, moving to her horse.

"Back to work, come on Bombur we're hungry!" Thorin ordered and Tharwen sat back in her place next to Bilbo, holding an amulet in her hand.

"Keep this safe Bilbo Baggins, this was made for you and you alone, it was not made for any dwarves and it shall keep you safe." She warned.

"Thank you Tharwen."

"Now get some rest Bilbo." She said, nudging the hobbit playfully.

* * *

"Gandalf you bastard of a wizard!" The sharp shriek shook the company awake, including Nori who fell asleep on watch.

"What?" Thorin had half drawn the Orcrist when he realised that it was only Tharwen, now cursing an absent Gandalf.

"Blasted no good, meddling ith'kun var no hasth'roth gah!" She muttered.

"Milady, what is the matter?" Dwalin came over to observe the now very annoyed Tharken.

"I swear on the tombs of Tharthan I'll kill that ith'kun var no wizard!"

"Gandalf, why?"

"Master Dwalin," She said. "Gandalf, it seems has taken about all of my maps, anything that would have made your journey easier, and well, my pack. is now. empty." She said, dropping the empty pack to the floor and kicking it.

"Why would Gandalf?" Thorin questioned.

"Because he's a wizard that meddles where it's unnecessary." She grumbled before checking the pack on the other side of her horse.

"Still here, at least he did not mess with the rest of my stuff."

"The rest of your?- woah!" Fili and Kili said, peering into the pack. "Weapons galore! Tharwen, you have to let me look at these." Fili exclaimed, eyes gleaming.

"Not now." Thorin said, moving to the closer to the centre of the comotion. "We have to get moving."

"Right." Tharwen gave Bilbo a glance as if to say 'do I really have to be here?'

'You promised' he mouthed to her and her shoulders slumped.

"Milady, will you be joining us?" Dwalin asked curiously.

"It seems I might have to." She said, unfolding a piece of parchment.

_'My dear Tharwen, _

_I am asking you, as a friend that you acompany my companians to the Hidden Pass, or at least to the foot off the Lonely Mountains, please stay with them, and look out for that hot headed fool of a dwarf Thorin. _

_Yours dearly, _

_Gandalf.'_

Dwalin read the note over her shoulder and chuckled at the mention of Thorin.

"Then welcome to the company lassie." Bofur said with a hearty grin.

'Oh welcome indeed.' Thorin thought as he watched Tharwen move through the company as if she was there from the start.

No he did not trust her, if there was some elvish blood in here then no, she was not to be trusted. At least not yet.


	4. The unexpected dinner

Gandalf had returned not too long after the company, including Tharwen, had packed up camp and set out to continue their journey. It was amusing to say he recieved quite and earful from Tharwen, much to Thorins dislike, she seemed to have a ranking much closer to the wizards.

"Do not go through my things ever again Gandalf! Ever!" The company caught the last few strands of their conversation.

"It was merely for-"

"Merely for academic purposes, you've said that five times now!"

"Tharwen..."

"Don't Tharwen me, last time you meddled and brought the Tharken into matters of other kin, Fharwen went blind and we lost Darien, I lost my baby brother."

Kili and Fili looked down feeling bad for evesdropping.

"Do you want Fharwen to lose me, you want me to stay, yes for Bilbos sake, really that. No! Gandalf no! No way in hell I'm staying with a bunch off insufferable dwarves. Now don't give me that look I know what you're thinking. My answer is clear, to the mountain and no further." They heard her protest.

"Laddie, best not to let her know we heard." Balin said. "It's not her choice she's here, don't blame her for anything."

Tharwen had dropped back to the rear of the group away from Gandalf with a scowl fixed on her face and a glare that put Thorins to shame.

"Tharwen, I'm sorry about Fharwen and Darien." Bilbo said gently.

"You heard?" She sounded and looked tired.

"Yes." He offered her a shy smile and the glare faded.

"How's Fharwen coping?"

"He's trying to take up archery but there's not many who want to teach him, I reckon they're scared of the lad. He is quite frightening. I remember, you got so scared, you hid behind my legs for a good hour before calming down." Tharwen gave a small ,chuckle.

"Lad and lass." Bofur said, giving a nod to them both.

"We're not formally introduced, I'm Bofur milady." Bofur pressed a kiss to her knuckles from his ponie as they shook hands and Tharwen let out a giggle.

"Such a gentleman Master Bofur, it's a pleasure to meet you." Tharwen smiled. " I'd curtsie, but, I seem to be on a horse."

Bofur laughed at the comment and gave the two a large grin.

"So lady Tharwen, what do Tharkens do?" Bofur asked, riding next to the two.

"To be honest, we're trained to be warriors as children, then, then we go on with whatever we chose, I'm still a warrior among my people, but I do work as a blacksmith from time to time. Majority live among the elves, fighting alongside them, as healers and warriors. You'll hardly find us among dwarves. No offense. My brother, Fharwen, is a warrior, captain guard, my uh- younger brother, Darien, uh, followed my brother to... he went along on a patrol around the borders of our lands, and orc ambush cost their party the loss of three lives, Darien and two others." She stopped speaking. "Tharkens usually leave when they're about 100 years of age, because they can fend for themselves, so many off us stay in trades we already know, fighting, smithing, becomming scribes, there are a few criminals among each Tharken clan, but it's to be expected, with many traitors among Tharkens, usually those siding with the Sidarians. Leaving their own for foolish promises of treasures and useless gold!" She spat the last word in disgust and Bofur looked utterly mortified.

"How is gold useless?" Bofur asked.

"Gold, tore the Tharkens apart, I've never forget the pain it has caused. It brings misery and pain, bitterness in the mind, not even the strongest off wariors can resist it's foolish promises. That useless yellow rock brings death, decay and destruction. Just look at-" Tharwen's jaw snapped shut and she looked away. "Look ignore me, gold and I don't mix, we don't care for it, we prefer silver and gems in all, I mean, I have a dagger made of quartz and another off diamond. All for looks, but they do well enough in battle. Silver is all for our courting, gold is only served for royalty. And even the royal line doesn't appreciate gold."

"Gold is the finest of our craftmanship. Lady Tharwen, if you do not appreciate it, why have you not left?" Thorin's voice came and Tharwens gaze turned hateful.

"A meddling wizard, a hobbit who undoubtedly pulls the cutest pair off puppy dog eyes when I mention leaving and a gentleman of a dwarf whose kindness and personality I appreciate Thorin Oakenshield, I knew your grandfather when he was King under the Mountain when my father had to pay just like everyone else. I know what happens because of gold, is associated with the likes of you!"

With that, the company moved on with whispers and chats among groups.

* * *

"We shall make camp here. " Thorin concluded.

"I think, it would be wiser to press on." Gandalf advised. "We could make for the hidden Valley. Lord Elrond could help us."

"I will not seek help from our enemy!"

"They are not your enemies Thorin Oakenshield, I did not give you that map and that key to hold onto the past."

"I did not know they were yours to keep." Thorin spat.

As Gandalf stomped away from Thorin muttering and grumbling about insufferable dwarves.

"Wait where are you going?" Bilbo made his bunny face at Gandalf who stormed past.

"To seek the company off the only one here who has any sense!" He huffed.

"And who's that?" Bilbo asked innocently.

"Myself! Mister Baggins!" Gandalf snapped before leaving them.

"Where is he going?" Bilbo asked frantically.

"I don't know Bilbo, I don't know." Tharwen muttered shaking her head.

"Come on Bombur, we're hungry!" Thorin growled and the group broke to set up camp.

"So Tharwen," Bofur began, moving next to the Tharken who was helping Bombur hand out the food. "I heard from the lads you were a princess off sorts. What's a beautiful princess like you doing here?"

"Oh Master Bofur, such kind words, really, I'm next in line for a throne, although it's not a big deal, my brother chose not to rule, I'm next in line, well, the story I told you about the two princes, beilieve it or not, they're my ancestors from an age ago. I am next in line to the throne, but I am not so much as ready to rule as my brother thinks."

"Wel I'd say, even just from meeting you and knowing you for this short time Lady Tharwen, you'd make a marvellous queen." Bofur complimented.

"Thank you Master Bofur, you're kindness is one off many great gifts you possess."

"Enough of this Master business, Milady, just call me Bofur." He offered.

"Only if you leave out the Lady then." She grinned cheekily and Bofur smiled widely.

"Will do."

Bofur then turned to shove two bowls off stew in Bilbos hands and ushering him off to take them to the princes.

* * *

"Bilbo... Trolls HELP!" The two princes yell bursting through the shrubs and bushes

"What? Both off you tell us what happened?"

Before Fili could say anything, Kili ran back in the direction they came screaming "We're coming Bilbo!"

"Bilbo went to go get the ponies back from three trolls." Fili said quickly.

"Let's go before Kili tries to do it singlehandedly. " Dwalin said.

The company crept through, not wanting to alert the trolls when they spotted Kilk facing the trolls sword in hand.

"Drop him!" Kili yelled.

"You wut?" A troll stared in disbelief.

"I said, drop him!" Kili ordered.

Thorin looked like he was about to impale himself on his sword.

Tharwen noticed Bilbo hanging from the grasp of two trolls.

Then he was flying through the air and Kili dropped his sword and caught him.

Thats when Thorin had taken to yelling a war cry and charging into battle.

Tharwen could see Bilbo out off the corner off her eye as she pushed Ori out of the way of an oncoming troll hand and got picked up by her hair.

"Put me down you ugly piece of troll!" She shrieked and began stabbing and slashing at the trolls face.

Nori and Bofur, being the closest automatically coming to her aid.

"You okay lass?"Bofur asked as both him and Nori helped her up.

"Fine, I'm fine... just fine..." She muttered.

The three turned at the sound aff Kili yelling.

"Bilbo!"

It took Bifur, Bofur and Nori to hold Tharwen back as the trolls threathened to rip Bilbos arms off.

"Fine." She spat, throwing down her sword with a huff indignantly.

Thorin looked at Bilbo, back at Tharwen, who was now being picked up and being showed into a sack almost without protest. Nori, Bofur and Dwalin snickered at the curses that Tharwen let escape her mouth while Dori covered Ori's ears. Thorin stabbed his sword into the dirt and the rest off the company followed in suit.

'I'm in a sack... a sack!' Thorin thought as he glare venomously at the three trolls who were now cooking half the company over the fire.

"Wait, you're making a terrible mistake. " Bilbo said, struggling to stand in his sack.

"You can't reason with them they're halfwits!" Dori shouted from the spit.

"Halfwits!? What does that make us!?" Bofur yelled indignantly, wriggling against the ropes that tied him onto the spit.

"You wat?"

"Well, have smelt them, you're gonna need something stronger than sage to plate this lot up." Bilbo said, jerking his head in the direction off the dwarves.

"Traitor!" They company yelled, wriggling around in their sacks.

"What do you know about cooking dwarf?" A troll asked.

"Well the secret to cooking dwarf is..." Bilbo paused before blurting out the first thing that came to mind. "Skin them first!"

"What!?"

"You traitor."

"There's nothing wrong with a bit off raw dwarf." Another troll, Bert, said, picking up Bombur from the pile of dwarves.

"Wait don't eat that one he's infected... he's got worms in his tubes!" He blurted.

The troll dropped Bombur with aheavy thud and Bilbo continued speaking.

"Parasites?"

"Did he say we have parasites?"

"We don't have parasites!" Kili yelled quite hurt looking. "You have parasites!"

There was a swift thud and Tharwen say Thorin giving the company glares. 'Come on Thorin, get the message through them.'

"I have parasites as big as my arm!" Dori yelled.

"I HAVE THE BIGGEST PARASITES OF ALL!" Kili shouted from where he was.

"In fact they all have it's a terrible business, I wouldn't risk it." Bilbo added.

"What would you have us do then, let them all go?"

"Get on with it, this little ferret is taking us for fools!"

"Ferret?" Bilbo sputtered.

"Fools?" Tom, a troll said in disbelief.

"And dawn shall take you all!" Gandalf announced, breaking a large boulder clean in half with his staff.

* * *

"He had the nouse to play for time, it's a wonder no one in your company managed to do that." Gandalf said to Thorin.

Tharwen watched as Thorin sent distasteful glances towards her and followed Nori and Bofur into the trolls hoard.

She picked up a few small daggers and knives, watching as Gandalf and Thorin discussed two swords they'd found.

"Let's get out off here." Thorin ordered and they marched out.


	5. The unexpected wizard

Tharwen sat between Bofur and Nori, as the other sat together away from the trio, Bofur and Nori attempted to include Tharwen into conversations.

Tharwen was content with staying away from the group as it is, she'd heard Thorin discussing her presence with Dwalin, was she really that bad, just by having elf blood in her?

* * *

"Would you still be here, if the wizard didn't say anything?" Bofur asked.

"I don't really know, I have nothing to go back too besides my brother, my father and mother are both dead, my younger brother is dead."

"No Tharken lad back at home? Lady like you must have men, elves and such all falling at your feet." Nori asked.

"There's many that do, but, my heart has spoken, it spoke long ago."

"Whose the lucky one?" Bofur asked.

"He passed into The Tharthan Hall of the Dead. My husband died against the Kiz'lan a few months ago." She said, twisting the ring around her index finger.

Bofur and Nori lowered their heads.

"We're sorry lass."

Tharwen waved her hand in dismissal.

"Wasn't your fault."

"Was that the ring the laddie gave ya?" Nori asked, noticing the silver ring on her middle finger.

"Aye, he crafted it for me, night before our engagement, my father wasn't happy when he found out." Tharwen let out a small chuckle. "But he learnt to accept Dharwen for who he was."

"What are the arrows for?" Bofur asked, earning a swipe at the back of his head from Nori.

"Don't be insensitive!" He hissed, looking apologetically at Tharwen.

"No, no, it's fine, really... Eight arrows for eight promises."

"Can I ask, what were they?" Bofur asked, earning another swipe which he ducked.

"Nori." She scolded. "I'll tell you both, just don't repeat this too the rest off them. I love you, I'll protect you, I'll protect our family, I'll protect the crown, I'll treasure our moments, I'll stay loyal to you, I'll never give up in battle, and I'll always come back to you." Tharwen sniffed at the last promise.

"Darling, it'll be alright, you'll see him again." Blfur said.

"In about 4000 years." She looked at Bofur sceptically.

"But you'll still see him."

She nodded.

* * *

There was rustling and the sound off branches breaking and Thorin yelled.

"Close ranks!" Bofur grabbed Bilbo, who was holding a sword, into the centre off the huddle and the group closed into a tight circle only to face... rabbits? and a wizard? a wizard on a sled? pulled by rabbits?

"What?" Tharwen asked, staring at Rhadaghast.

"Rhadaghast the brown" Gandalf announced.

Tharwen slumped her shoulders and leaned against the boulder next to the entrance off the cave hoard.

Gandalf and Rhadaghast slipped further away from the company and were discussing something he'd brought out that was cloth bound.

"Tharwen, do yer think you'll find love among the company?" Bofur asked in a whisper as she watched Gandalf's moments.

Tharwen's eyes fell onto the dwarfs, lingering over the ones that included her into the group, Kili, Fili, Bofur, Bombur, Nori, Dwalin, and she found her gaze lingering on Thorin, although he'd done nothing to include her.

"Maybe my friend, maybe."


	6. The unexpected meeting

"Warg scouts! We have to leave." Thorin ordered.

"We can't the ponies have bolted!" Ori said, running into the clearing.

"Who did you tell off your quest besides your kin?" Gandalf asked, going on the offensive.

"No one." Thorin growled.

"Who did you tell?" He seemed more persistent.

"NO ONE I SWEAR! What's going on?" Thorin's eyes held a heavy look.

"You are being hunted." Gandalf said, and half the company let out a groan of disappointment.

"I'll draw them off!" Rhadaghast announced.

"These are Gundabarg wargs, they'll out run you." Gandal protested and Tharwen stared on in disbelief.

"These are Rhosgobel rabbits, I'd like to see them try." He gave a wicked grin and sped off leading the wargs away.

'Nope, not a good day to run.' Tharwen thought as she ran with the company.

"This way!" Gandalf ordered as they ran from the rock they hid behind.

"Where are you leading us?" Thorin asked suspiciously from next to Gandalf.

When Gandalf did not reply to his question he sent silent glares at his back.

Tharwen knew why the dwarf was so mistrustful, but yet, for a wizard like Gandalf. 'Does he not have any sense?' She wondered, running after Gandalf, who had taken off to the direction off the Hidden Pass.

* * *

"There's more coming!" Fili alerted the others.

"We're surrounded!" Bofur yelled.

"Where's Gandalf?!" Dwalin asked roughly, turning around watching the orcs draw closer.

"He's abandoned us!" Gloin growled angrily.

"KILI! SHOOT THEM!" Thorin screamed.

Fili twisted and turned to keep an eye on the oncomming wargs.

Tharwen drew her twin short swords and looked around at the dwarves.

"This way you fools!" Gandalf cried, he was at the Hidden Pass.

'Well no need for name calling.' Tharwen bit back a sarcastic remark.

"Run!" She said, trying to get the others attention.

The others ran for the Hidden Pass, Tharwen drew a few daggers and threw them at the wargs, hitting one dead in the eye. It howled and charged straight at her.

"Oh crap!" She scrambled back and tripped over a rock that jut out from the ground.

"THARWEN!" Fili shouted, seeing what happened as he turned to look back.

The warg lunged and she slashed at it's face. It drew back quickly and let out a yowl as another sword slash into it's neck, then it's riders.

"Get up!" Thorin yelled, grabbing her arm and hoisting her up.

"KILI!" Thorin yelled and the lad came running to the hidden pass.

"You alright?" Bilbo asked worried.

"Yeah, fine." She said, rubbing her shoulder. "Just fine."

"Your shoulder." He said, moving towards Oin.

"Nope, come here Bilbo." She grabbed his arm and pulled him back. "You don't tell anyone about this, it's an old injury, just flared up again. Leave it be and it'll be fine."

"But.."

"But nothing Bilbo." She said, closing her eyes, pinching the bridge off her nose.

"Fine. Just get it looked at, for me?" Bilbo pleaded.

"What ever, follow the others." She said, pushing him after the rest off the company.

She felt the walls, running her hands over the stones and breathing in the smell only she could recognize. 'Smells like oak, some pipe weed, although that might be the dwarfs. The water, I can smell it... I can feel it flowing.' She thought

"The Valley of Imlardis." Gandalf said. "In the common tongue it's known by another name.."

"Rivendell." Bilbo breathed, just as Tharwen whispered something in a different tongue.

"Isha'kes-nith. The last Homely House to the East."

"You've been here before Tharwen. Do you remember?" Gandalf asked, before turning his attention to Thorin.

"Was this your plan all along? To seek refuge with our enemy." He accused.

"You have no enemies here Thorin Oakenshield. The only ill will to be found is the one you bring yourself." Gandalf rebuked.

Thorin huffed.

"Leave the talking to me, or Lady Tharwen." Gandalf warned and lead the group down to the gates.

An elf with long brown hair, walked down the steps to greet the company, Gandalf and Tharwen at the head off the group.

"Mirthrandir." An elf greeted them, hugging Gandalf.

"Ah Lindir."

"_We heard you crossed into the Valley." _Lindir spoke in Elvish, Tharwen registering and translating the language in her head.

"Lady Tharwen." Lindir acknowledged. "Mellon nin. How are you?"

"Good thank you Lindir." She gave a nod.

"We must speak to Lord Elrond."

"My Lord Elrond is not here." Lindir said, giving Tharwen a sneaky glance.

"And where is he?" Gandalf asked, catching the glance.

A horn sounded and a group of elves, on horses, paraded in. Causing the dwarves to close ranks, separating Loki and Gandalf from the rest of them.

"Mirthrandir." Lord Elrond said, getting down from his horse, 'least they don't ride elks like Thranduil does' Thorin thought as he watched Lord Elrond hug Gandalf.

"Mellon nin."Gandalf said, in a small bow. "Wovin eth?"

"Faran el vlamos, thio lo dos haran, dagane farin una yeathewin." Elrond replied before turning to Tharwen and bowing slightly.

"Milady Tharwen, ion sell, it's good to see you titta mine." Lord Elrond gave Tharwen a hug before stepping back to look check Tharwen for injuries..

"Ada!" Twin yells came from behind the company and party of elves and two elves barrelled into Lord Elrond, clinging to him.

"Elladan, Elrohir. Get off me we have guests. You'll be happy to see who it is." He grumbled.

"Tharwen!" The two yelled and Tharwen was on the ground with two elves planting sloppy kisses on her face.

"Oi! Off you two! Ge'off! I'll cut off your hair you little prats!" Tharwen yelled thrashing under the weight off the two elfs.

Lord Elrond pulled Elladan and Elrohir off Tharwen by their hair and smacked them both on the shoulder.

"Behave." He warned, then helped Tharwen up.

"I hope your company will stay for dinner to replenish your supplies?" Elrond asked, looking from Gandalf to Tharwen, to Thorin.

"Of course." Gandalf replied.

"Tharwen your old room is still there if you want to stay." Elrond said. "Although I expect you'll be with Elladan, Elrohir and Lindir tonight."

Tharwen nodded and ran off will Elladan and Elrohir.

He said knowingly to Lindir. "Go with them, see that they don't break anything while they're at it have fun too Lindir."

Lindir nodded before turning and running after the three yelling. "Wait for me you little idiots!"

"No!" The company sat up as Tharwen and Lindir ran through the group, dodging the fire and too Tharwen's bedroll, pulling the blanket over their heads.

Elladan and Elrohir ran in, bare-chested and their hair now a bright green.

"Come here you little orcs!" Elladan said, tackling the two on the grounds and tickling them.

Elladan joined in the tickling mercilessly and Lindir began shrieking.

"Don't cut up our favourite tunics!"

"Don't dye our hair green!"

"And don't put make up on our faces and show half the guards!" They both said before Tharwen poked her head out from under the blanket.

"We surrender!" She said between gasps.

"Good." The twins said sitting back and panting. "We hate chasing you two around the place, you both are fast."

"Yeah cause we're younger than you two." Lindir said sticking his tongue out childishly.

"Only by a couple off centuries!" Elrohir protested.

"Four centuries to be exact." Tharwen said, ducking a small swipe to her head.

"Four off, you behave." Dwalin's gruff voice came from the side.

"We are." Tharwen retorted, dodging another swipe.

"Why do they get to have fun?" Kili whined.

"Yeah." Fili agreed with his brother.

"We could go dwarves vs elves?" Kili suggested and the green haired twins looked at him curiously.

"But we get Tharwen right?" Lindir asked.

"No fair! We want Tharwen on our side." Nori protested.

"Enough. I'm half dwarf, half elf, I'll be neutral." Tharwen said, and Lindir automatically latched onto one off her outstretched arm.

"Lindir." She warned.

Elladan and Elrohir latched onto her as well.

"Oh Eru save me, can someone get these prats off me?" She asked.

"Nope, you're on your own." Bofur said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Fine..." She scowled but then leaned against a pillar.

* * *

Dwalin, Fili, Kili, Bofur, Nori and Thorin were still awake. Tired, but awake.

"They're adorable." Dwalin admitted.

"I feel like a creep watching the four off them." Fili said.

"We're dwarves not creeps."

"Isn't this spying?" Kili asked.

"Not really, no, just,... keeping watch, that's it." Nori said.

"So spying on them."

"What are you all whispering about?" Thorin asked, his voice was pretty loud.

"Shh, they're asleep." Dwalin shushed.

"Who?" Thorin lowered his voice.

Dwalin pointed to Tharwen, Elladan, Elrohir and Lindir asleep in a tangle off limbs pressed against each other.

"Now I wanna cuddle." Bofur said.

"You have Bombur and Bifur." Kili pointed out.

"They don't like my hat!" He protested.

"Then go cuddle Nori or something." Fili said.

"Uh-huh no, I have enough with Dori trying." Nori argued.

* * *

"Mmm, Elladan." Tharwen groaned and hugged Elladan tighter than she had before.

Lindir had one hand mused in Elrohir's hair and another holding onto Elladan's arm while sandwhiching Tharwen and Elladan in between him and Elrohir, who had one hand on his brother's shoulder and another wrapped around Tharwen.

"You're more fond off her than you realize Thorin Oakenshield." Gandalf said, causing Thorin to turn away from the sight off the four off them.

"What are you saying Gandalf?" Thorin narrowed his eyes.

"I'm saying your yearning is obvious Thorin Oakenshield. But I warn you, your feelings may not be returned."

"I have no feelings for her."

"You keep thinking that Thorin." Gandalf mused and left him be.

'What is it? It just draws me too you, is it that you have no care for us, that you have no love for gold, or is it the solemn look you have when Gloín talks about his wife and child. I want to know.' Thorin thinks as he returns his gaze to Tharwen, all snug, protectively cuddled by the three elves.

His thoughts began to wonder, back to what Lord Elrond had said.

_So that is your purpose, to enter the mountain?_

_There are some who would not deem it wise._

_You bring her into this, if she comes back with a single scratch, you'll feel the wrath of the House of Elrond, my woodland kin in the Mirkwood forest, the men who follow the Tharkens and the Tharkens themselves._

_If she dies, prepare for war, Thorin Oakenshield, against the Lonely Mountain._

_She has suffered more greatly in her life, she has lost everything that means something to her over what you now seek._

_Look after her Thorin Oakenshield, do not let her give her life when she has so much more to live for._

And he said to Gandalf, that someone else knew off their quest before it had been set in motion.

_You are not the only one to watch over middle earth._

'What have you lost?' Thorin wondered, and found himself reaching out, pulling back his hand, he turned over to face away from the three and let sleep take over him.

* * *

Elvish translations:

Mellon nin = my friend.

Wovin eth = where have you been?

Faran el vlamos, thio lo dos haran, dagane farin una yeathewin = We've been hunting a pack of orcs that came up from the south, we slew a number off them near the hidden pass.

Ion sell = My daughter.

titta mine = little one.

Ada = Father/Dad.

* * *

Tharken translations (note, these are my own thing):

Isha'kes-nith = Rivendell.


	7. The unexpected escape from Rivendell

"No I do not need a babysitter. Thorin Oakenshield, I don't need a baby sitter." Tharwen protested.

"Yes you do, we're leaving tomorrow night and it won't help if you're off somewhere trapped under three elves." Thorin retorted.

"That was one time!"

"Actually, it was three." Bofur but in.

"Bofur. Not helping. Come on Thorin, you don't have to babysit me, get Lindir to do it, or Elladan and Elrohir, please, please, please I'll be good. I promise." Tharwen said, waking after Thorin.

"I think not, you'll run off and get into some mess which would slow us down." Thorin retorted.

"I'm like, older than you Thorin I'm not a child!"

"You said you were in Tharken years." Bofur said.

"Whose side are you on Bofur?" She grumbled.

"Thorin's." He replied.

"I don't understand why in the name of His-kahnerin I need as baby sitter!" Tharwen said.

"Because we don't trust 'em elves." Gloín said.

"I've known them for ages. I _trust_ them." She protested.

"We don't want you hanging around them lass." Nori said a bit more gently than the others.

"You're jealous aren't you, that I prefer their company more, for four days, you've tried your hardest to keep me away from them. Just GROW UP! You're like Dharwen, the lot off you, so damn protective!" She shouted, storming off to the corner.

"Who's Dharwen?" Thorin asked quietly.

"Her betrothed Thorin." Nori said, voice low.

"She's, oh Eru." Thorin sat down onto a ledge and buried his head in his hands.

"He's passed on Thorin." Bofur said softly.

"Mahal what's wrong with me?" He said, scrubbing his face with his hands.

He felt guilty, so guilty. He gone and reminded her.

Gloín felt worse, considering he had a wife and a son.

"Thorin, I think you should talk to her." Gloín said.

"Yea, lad, go talk to her, you might as well, she'll be on this quest 'til we reach the mountain, 'swhat Gandalf said." Bofur urged.

"I will."

"Good luck." Bofur called.

'The cheek off that dwarf!' Thorin thought as he made his was over to sit with Tharwen.

"Tharwen..."

"What do you want?" She sniffed, glaring up at him.

"I'm sorry for being protective. We care about you is all." He said awkwardly.

"Then trust me not to get hurt Thorin, I know these elves, they loved me longer than you've been alive."

"I...I just.. I'm sorry."

"It's okay Dh- Thorin." She caught herself. "I forgive you."

* * *

"Sneaking out has not been this easy since I was but only a child." Tharwen whispered to Nori and Bofur as they made their way out off Rivendell.

"Is it?" Nori said.

She nodded and laughed. The sun was beginning to set and she smiled at the sight off it.

"I love the sunset." She murmured.

"It reminds you off him?" Bofur asked.

She gave a small nod and they continued on.

* * *

"How many days has it been since we left?" Fili asked.

"3, we'll be nearing the misty mountains soon." Thorin replied, leading them upto a mountain pass.

* * *

"It's a thakin-dor is storm!" Tharwen grumbled.

"A what?" Kili asked.

"I'd rather not translate." She said.

"Curse words?" Nori wondered aloud.

"Yes."

"Keep moving! We need to find shelter!" Thorin ordered.

Tharwen cursed in tharkeen under her breath as she took note of one off the many things she hated.

Two words.

Stone. Giants.

Oh and thunderstorms of course.

The ledge they were on began to rise and they had realized that they were standing on a stone giant themselves. As the giant rose,Tharwen, Kili and Thorin were separated from Nori, Bofur, Dwalin, Ori and the others.

"KILI! Grab my hand!" Fili screamed reaching out, while Tharwen was desperately trying to reach out for Bofur's hand.

The battle raged on, the dwarves, hobbit and tharken all clung to the rocky surface of the giant's leg, praying to every god and deities known to them for help.

The leg of the giant that sat half the company smashed into the rock faces and Tharwen screamed.

"Fili!" Thorin screamed, heartbreakingly loud.

He ran forward, Fili following behind him more carefully than Tharwen was, trying to get to the

"We're alright!" A sharp cry comes from the group and Tharwen rushes and checks the dwarves over, especially Ori and Kili.

"WHERE'S BILBO!?" Fili shouts and Tharwen's heart is back racing as she spins around.

"There he is!" A shout came from behind her.

The sight practically made her heart stop.

Bilbo has hanging on with all his might on a few roots and a rock that had jutted out.

Pushing through to rush to save him, Tharwen feared she wouldn't make it to save him. She didn't have too as Thorin swung down to a close ledge protruding below Bilbo and helping him up to Tharwen and Dwalin.

As Thorin climbed up, back to the company, a rock had broken off, causing Dwalin to catch Thorin by the arm before he fell to his most likely certain death.

"Phew, I thought we almost lost our burglar." Dwalin muttered as Thorin dusted himself off.

"He has been lost ever since he left his home!" Thorin growled. "He should have never have come, he has no place amongst us!" He glared before stalking into a cave that was ahead of them.

"Geez, who shoved a stick up his arse?" Tharwen wondered out loud and Nori, Bofur, Kili and Fili burst into mysterious coughing fits.

* * *

Translations:

thakin-dor = Mother fucking, shit!


	8. Ho, ho! my lad! Welcome to Goblin Town

Thorin appointed Bofur to guard the main entrance before noticing the dwarf give him a skeptical look, and also Tharwen was giving him short glares before rubbing circles on a shaking Bilbo's back.

He lay down to sleep, turned to face away from the two that glared a him, so protectively over Bilbo, but it did not come so easily to him as he thought.

After a few moments, Thorin heard three voices.

"I'm not though am I, Thorin said I never should have come and he's right, I'm not a Took, I'm a Baggins. I don't know what I was thinking." Bilbo said in exasperation.

"You did know what you were thinking, you thought that their quest was a noble one, that they deserved to return to a _home _that was _stolen _from them, and you're not leaving here without me Bilbo."

"I never should have run out my door." Bilbo said silently.

"You should have, and you did, now you're here Bil." Tharwen said.

Tharwen felt like throttling Thorin with her bare hands. 'The nerve off that dwarf!' scowled and looked at Bilbo.

"If you go, I go." She hears herself say.

"You're homesick," Bofur tells him gently, "I understand."

"No, you don't understand, none of you do, you, you, you're dwarves! You're used to living this life, to living on the road, never settling in one place, not belonging anywhere!"

Bilbo paused, realization dawning on him as he realized what he had just said. "Look, I'm-I'm sorry, I didn't..." He sighed quietly.

"No, you're right. We don't belong anywhere." Bofur sighed admittedly.

Bofur gives Bilbo a friendly slap on the shoulder, Tharwen gives him a tight hug and whispers words of warning and comfort in his ear and Thorin feels his heart weighed with guilt.

"I wish you all the luck in the world. I really do." Bofur said sadly.

"Go straight back to Rivendell, promise me you stubborn hobbit, stay with Lord Elrond, I'll come get you after this dammed quest is over."

There's a slight pause and a sound of a footstep before Bofur pipes up, stopping Bilbo in his tracks.

"What's that?"

"Your sword!" Tharwen says.

'Why does it feel as if the floor's sinking underneath me' Thorin thought as he rolled over.

There was a slight sound off gears turning and he shot up screaming orders at the others.

"Get up!" He screamed. "Get up!" Thorin felt like smacking his head against the wall.

* * *

They're tumbling down what seems to be a slide.

"Hakethri! Histharin, garthet!" _(Oh fuck that shit hurts!)_ Tharwen curses as she feels her head slam against the rocks.

* * *

_'It's a fucking massive slide of death!'_ Fili thought, screaming and feeling sick as he slide down, crashing into rocks on the way down before landing on top of Dwalin.

He groaned before rolling off Dwalin and onto his uncle.

There was terrible noise that would make any ear ache and they looked up to see a screeching hoard off goblins rushing towards them.

'You've got to be kidding me!' He thought, tripping over his uncle's leg as he tried to get up, landing with his legs draped across Thorin's chest.

* * *

"Crush, smack! Whip crack!

Smash, grab! Pinch, nab!

You go, my lad!

Ho, ho! my lad!

The black crack! the back crack!

The black crack! the back crack!

Down down to Goblin-town

Down down to Goblin-town

Down down to Goblin-town

You go, my lad!

Ho, ho! my lad!

Goblins quaff, and Goblins beat

Goblins laugh, and Goblins bleat

Batter, jabber, whip, and taver hoooooo!

Below, my lad!

Ho, ho! my lad!

The black crack! the back crack!

The black crack! the back crack!

Down down to Goblin-town

Down down to Goblin-town

Down down to Goblin-town

You go, my lad!

Ho, ho! my lad!"

The Goblins sang, giving Tharwen an ear ache and a head ache.

"Wait!" Thorin yelled.

"Well, well, well, look who it is." The goblin king said in mock surprise.

"Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror! King under the Mountain..." The goblin king announced.

'We already know that.' Tharwen thought as she snorted.

"Oh, but I'm forgetting, you don't have a mountain, you're not a king!" He shouted, arms out wide, as if he was speaking to an audience.

'Well, I do suppose he has an audience.' Tharwen raised her eye brows.

"Which makes you," He paused, head tilted to one side looking at Thorin. "Nobody really!" He chuckled and Thorin looked as if he was about to hit the Goblin King right in the face there and then.

"I know someone who'd pray a pretty price for your head..." He trailed off, eyebrow raised.

'I think I know where this is going.' Tharwen thought.

"Just your head, nothing attached." He finished slyly.

"Perhaps... You know who I speak off?" He asked, gazing down with a smirk.

'Come on, think Tharwen, stall for time, stall'

"A pale orc, sat astride a white warg!" The goblin king hinted.

"Azog the defiler was destroyed!" Thorin said. "He was slain in battle long ago!"

"You think his defiling days are done!? Do you?" The goblin king taunted.

"Send word to the pale orc." He ordered a little goblin in a bucket-pulley like thingy. "Tell him I have his prize." He said, sending Thorin a look.

"Stop!" Tharwen shouted, pushing past Thorin.

"And who are you? Not dwarf, not elf, but not one of men. What are you?"

"I'm a Tharken your majesty." Tharwen gave a small curtsie.

"A Tharken, it's been a long time since I've seen the likes of your kind in the mountains." The Goblin kind said.

"Well, that's true."

"What do you have to say?" He asked.

"Well, wouldn't it be better if you had someone more valuable than the dwarf, he has no kingdom, nothing to offer but his death, and how do you know Azog the Defiler would not turn on you the first chance he got?"

"What are you saying Tharken?"

"I am Tharwen Karewin, daughter of Karin, son of Farin. Princess of the Tharkens, I'm a much better trade. There would be Tharkens and a power much greater than Azog the Defilerwilling to pay greatly for me , more than Thorin Oakenshield. Leave him and his kin, take me for ransom."

"Such a noble request princess. I think I might take up that offer. Chain her! Bound her!"

Three goblins brought chains forward and began fastening them onto Tharwens arms and at her waist.

"Tharwen no!" Bofur struggled agaisnt the two goblins holding him back.

Nori managed to stick a small knife in one off them and only managed a few paces before getting pulled back.

"Oi leave 'er be!" Dwalin yelled as the goblins groped and ran their hands over her.

Thorin just managed to reach forward and grad Tharwen's arm.

"What are you doing?" He hissed.

"Saving your arse, now hush, I'll be fine." Was all she managed to say before a blast off white light sent them stumbling back.

Tharwen felt the chains go limp and they were off her in a blink of an eye, she looked to see Nori, who picked the locks off her chains before passing her, her swords and daggers.

* * *

Tremendous vertical slide of doom; negative five out of ten, would not recommend to annoying meddling wizards.

"Well that could be worse." Bofur said cheerfully when they landed in a heap

The goblin king landed on them causing them to groan in annoyance.

"You've got to be joking!" Dwalin groaned.

"GANDALF!" Kili cried as Dwalin helped him up.

Looking up to see hoards of Goblins rush down to attack them, considering that Gandalf did ,send their king falling off a platform arse over tit. Fili grabbed Kili's hand and ran, following Gandalf who was leading them through small cavern like corridors.

* * *

Translations:

Hakethri! Histharin, garthet! = Oh fuck that shit hurts!


	9. Those two are mine!

Reaching the light, The company stopped and finally managed to catch their breath outside.

"Kili, Fili." Gandalf muttered, counting the dwarfs. "Fourteen."

"Where's Bilbo?!" Gandalf asked.

The dwarves looked around quickly.

"Bilbo?" Tharwen questioned, her face growing more worried by the second.

Tharwen looked like she'd lost all hope.

As Bofur came up to Gandalf with a worried expression on his face, Thorin answered Gandalfs questions with his own thoughts.

"I'll tell you where he is!" Thorin growled, breaking the chatter amongst the company. "Master Baggins saw his chance and took it. He's thought nothing but of his warm bed and hearth since he walked out his door! We will not be seeing our hobbit again! He is long gone."

Kili and Fili glanced at each other with heartbroken eyes, for they did not believe Bilbo would do such a thing, he proved to them he was loyal, and had saved them from being eaten, they had trust in the hobbit, greatly and were full of disbelief and shock.

* * *

"I think Tharwen's sick." Bofur's voice went unheard and he shook his head before looking back at Tharwen, who was glaring daggers into the back of Thorin's head.

* * *

"No, he isn't." Bilbo's soft voice was a whisper among the company, fragments of hurt in his voice showed that he had heard all Thorin had said about him, he could not stomach the fact the dwarf king had thought so lowly of him, but it was true that he did.

"Bilbo Baggins, I've never been so glad to see anyone in my life." Gandalf exhaled in relief.

"Bilbo, we've given you up." Kili said, sending a look that mean't he really didn't believe what Thorin had said, before both the brothers enveloped him in a hug.

"Bilbo!" Tharwen breathed, hugging the hobbit and the two dwarf brothers. "You're safe you stubborn arse prat, I was so worried." She scolded.

"How on earth did you get past the goblins?" Fili asked.

"How indeed?" Dwalin wondered.

"What does it matter? He is back." Tharwen was grateful that Gandalf was with them.

"It does matter. I want to know" Thorin said passively. "Why did you come back?" He asked, gazing at Bilbo with a hint of awe in his eyes.

"I know you doubt, I-I-I know you always have, and you're right, I often think of Bag End, I miss my books, and my armchair, and my garden, see, that's where I belong, that's home. " He said. "And that's why I came back. You don't have one, a home, it's was taken from you." He paused. "And I'll help you take it back if I can" He gave Thorin a smile that said 'I ain't going anywhere you stubborn dwarf.'

A growls and howls pierced through the silence of the company and Tharwen pactically smashed her head against a tree, and blanched at the sight of wargs at the top off the very very high slope.

"Out of the frying pan..."

"And into the fire." Gandalf finished, leaving Thorin looking slightly homicidal... Or was it suicidal, either way he looked like he was about to kill something.

"Run! RUN!" He shouted, taking off into the direction of a 140 feet drop.

Wargs and their riders grouped as the company climbed into the trees. Then the parted respectfully as Azog the Defiler came into the clearing upon his white warg

He began taunting Thorin in his own language, spitting the filth at him.

He raised his mace in Thorin and Tharwens direction and said something that Gandalf and Tharwen translated to 'those two are mine' and then the wargs came.

* * *

"Gah!" Tharwen yelped as she felt the tree topple under the great weight of the beasts.

The company jumped from tree to tree until they reached Gandalf's tree that had begun to teeter on the edge of the cliff.

Gandalf set fire to a pinecone and passed it down to Fili and Bilbo before they'd began lobbing it at the orcs, goblins and wargs.

Their tree teetered over the edge and was hanging horizontally, Dori and Ori both slipping off and only being alive by holding onto Gandalf's staff.

As Kili's arm began slipping Tharwen saw Thorin rise through the smoke and fire, and she grabbed Kili's arm, pulling him back onto the trunk, teetering on the edge of her own branch which was groaning dangerously, Kili gripping her waist so he would not fall.

Tharwen clenched her jaw as Thorin had gone and done the most foolish thing, charging at the pale orc, oaken shield raised. Before getting knocked out by a paw to the forehead.

* * *

She was torn between chuckling at the scene and choking as she saw Bilbo scrambling up after him.

"Holy! Bilbo!" She shouted from the branch, pulling Kili up onto the branch before pulling herself up with Kili's help.

The Pale Orc's warg was practically using him as a chew tow!

As Azog's right hand orc went to sever Thorin's head. Tharwen thought she almost had an aneurism. Bilbo had gone and tackle the orc away from Thorin. Tharwen forced herself to get up from the tree and charged at a warg, taking the attention off Bilbo.

The warg reared away but Azog forced it to stay. Tharwen heard a shriek and saw the eagles swooping down, attacking the orcs and goblins. They intervened into the fight and picked off the wargs and orcs one by one, causing the remainder of the pack to flee.

* * *

The eagles flew to the great Carrock and placed the members of the company on the top of the rock.

Gandalf had begun muttering spells to wake Thorin. Tharwen was comforting Bilbo quietly away from the group.

"The halfling?" A hoarse whisper floated across the company. Gandalf assured Thorin that Bilbo was alright.

"You! What were you thinking? You nearly got yourself killed!" He said, gruffly, voice swamped with worry.

"Did I not say you were a burden? That you have no place amongst us?" He asked.

"I've never been so wrong, in all my life." Breathed Thorin, wrapping Bilbo in the most affectionate hug the company had seen Thorin give.

"I'm sorry I doubted you." Thorin apologized, holding the hobbit by the shoulders, looking straight into the bloodshot eyes that had been crying only a few moments ago.

"No, I would've doubted me too. I'm not a hero, nor a warrior, not even a burglar." He admits bashfully but with a small smile on his face.

The moment is interrupted by a sharp screech and they company turns to watch the eagles soar back into the clouds.

Bilbo lets out a small gasp and Thorin turns.

"It's that, what I think it is?" He asks in awe.

"Erebor, The Lonely Mountain. The last of the great Dwarf Kingdoms in Middle Earth." Gandalf announced, answering the question before Thorin could.

Thorin shot a sharp glare at Gandalf before turning to stare at Erebor.

"Our home." He breathed, a small smile creeping onto his lips.

"A raven!" Oin cries, drawing the companies' attention to the birds fluttering and soaring back to the direction of the mountain. "The birds are returning to the mountain."

"That my dear Oin, is a trush." Gandalf corrected smiling.

"Well we'll take it a a sign, a good omen." Thorin whispered, feeling his chest fill with happiness.

"You're right, I do believe the worst is behind us." Bilbo said, walking up next to Thorin with a content smile on his face.

Another bird, large bird with silver and black wings, that looked nothing like bird wings but more like a demons, with flecks of gold tinting it's red eyes swooped down and perched on a rock next to Tharwen.

"Your majesty_._" It croaked and the company turned in shock.

"Riìkan, you're here, oh Mahal I thought I wouldn't see you since I sent you back with a message to my brother." Tharwen breathed.

"What is Eru's name is that thing?" Kili asked, backing dangerously close to the edge.

"This is Riìkan, he is an As-kharthi, Tharken messenger and warrior birds."

"His wings look nothing like a birds, and and As-kharti? What does that mean?"

"Your majesty, I must insist, I have an urgent message from your brother."Riìkan interrupted.

"Right Riìkan, what is it?"

"Ishtha-kar tha Kiz'lan exthuaa rinto bhekan hikldi ishke hajn'dage, wah thori' whariehs inthro tha fahen, stay safe, faen nin sister. Keep watch, careful watch. Oth'a lanthe in dhangeri'lti._" _Riìkan said, fluently in Tharkeen.

* * *

**Tharkeen translation:**

**Ishtha-kar tha Kiz'lan exthuaa rinto bhekan hikldi ishke hajn'dage, wah thori' whariehs inthro tha fahen, stay safe, faen nin sister. Keep watch, careful watch. Oth'a lanthe in dhangeri'lti. = Peace, the Kiz'lan are becoming restless, I fear for your safety, we will rally the warriors for war if it comes to it, come home sister. Keep watch, careful watch, our lands and your quest are in danger.**


	10. Let the games begin

"Would you like to dance?" Kili offered his hand to Tharwen who was sitting in a chair quietly while the others ate and danced.

"Sure thing, Kili." She said, sliding her sword down underneath her chair.

"Bofur pick up the pace a bit." She called.

Bofur started a faster tune and Tharwen held Kili's hand, leading him into a fast paced dance.

"Shouldn't I be leading?" He asked as Tharwen twirled herself around him.

"Don't be too sure." She said smiling. "Tharkens let the girls lead."

"Well I think it's time for a change then." Kili said, pulling her closer and turning her to press her back against him.

* * *

***A Few hours Earlier.***

* * *

"His name is Beorn, and he is a skin changer."

Riìkan let out a sharp cry and ruffled the feathers on his back as he perched himself on Tharwen's right shoulder, which had armour plating on it.

"What does he change into?" Ori asked.

"A bear, a huge black bear."

* * *

"Tharwen, I think you'd like to be the first to talk to Beorn, you two know each other, if I remember correctly." Gandalf said, pushing her forward.

"Who are you?" Beorn asked.

"Tharwen Karewin, daughter of Karin, son of Farin, I am a princess from the Tharken lands, North of Rhovian."

"The same Tharwen that helped my people, kept the borders off my home safe and lent us the As-kharthi that helped me and my fellow skin changers communicate?"

"At your service my friend." She bowed and Riìkan let out a polite squawk.

"You are welcome here. Although I'm not sure about the company you keep." Beorn said.

"They're cause is noble my friend," She paused. "The risk they take could easily cost them their lives, but I am willing to help them see their quest through. Will you help us?"

"What about this bunny?" Beorn asked, pointing at Bilbo.

"I am Bilbo Baggins from the Shire. I'm here to help them." Bilbo said confidently.

"Well, you have to brave companians with you wizard, I think I might let them stay the night."

* * *

"I'm not too fond off dwarves... but I hate Orcs more." Beorn said to Thorin.

"You can stay, but only for a week at most, I fear the Orcs will not stay off your trail forever." Beorn said to Tharwen and Gandalf.

"Thank you Master Beorn."

"I'm willing to help a Tharken, you are a fellow skin changers after all." He says and the chatter stops.

"You're a what?"

"Did he say a skin changer?"

"Why didn't you tell us?"

"Were you ever going to tell us?"

"How could you not?"

"Yeah yeah, Tharkens are skin changers too alright!" She said before sending an apologetic glance to Beorn.

"Go outside, take some time, I'll handle them." Gandalf said.

"Yeah I will."

* * *

"What is wrong with you all? You knew nothing off Tharkens and obviously she won't tell you everything if you continue to act so foolishly!" Gandalf scolded.

"The wizards right. How long have you all known her for?"

"Since she came onto our journey, but she mostly talks to Nori and I, Master Beorn." Bofur said.

"And do you know her well?" Beorn asked

"Some what." Bofur said.

"Well, see." Beorn left it at that and went outside.

* * *

Tharwen sat outside against the foot off a tree resting her chin on her knees, the sun was setting slowly and Beorn sat next to her when she gave a small nod.

"Tharwen are you alright?" Beorn asked.

"Yeah, I guess." She said.

"I mean, are you really alright? After Dharwen and Darien, and Fharwen going blind. Being asked to rule in Fharwens place."

"I didn't think it could get any worse after we lost Darien and Fharwen lost his eyesight, but then Dharwen... died and I felt so lost. Fharwen tried, he tried so hard to pull me out off the darkness, but some nights I feel like I'm falling back in." She said, hugging her knees.

"You have people to help you?" He said, more off a question than a statement.

She shook her head, paused, then nodded. "Fharwen, Lindir, Elladan, Elrohir, Bilbo, Bofur, Nori, you." She listed.

"Any among the Mirkwood eldar?" Beorn asked.

"Yes, three or four among the royal guards for the king." She said.

"If you encounter them on the journey, I wish you all the luck, Thranduil has become colder in the past years. It will take a while and I doubt that dwarf of yours in there can hold his temper very well."

"Dwarf of mine? What?" She looked at him eyebrows furrowed.

"Yes, I expected you to notice, playing matchmaker all the time, but he looks at you, he watches you, he desires you, but he will not make a move because the bunny, the dwarf with the hat and the thief are protective off you."

"Haha very funny Beorn, you know I love Dharwen, and him alone." She said.

"You know that's not true, even if your Tharken side calls for Dharwen, you know your shift calls for it's own kind. You know how dangerous this quest is for you, emotionally especially." He scolded lightly.

"I know, but, they're cause is noble, they want their home back Beorn, am I to turn them away and be compared to those who turned their backs on them in their lives."

"No and it's very noble off you to do that. Just be careful. And I think we should go inside now, the sun has set, it's not safe now." Beorn said, getting up and holding his hand out to Tharwen.

"Keep those wings off yours hidden." He whispered and lead Tharwen inside.

* * *

"Would you like to dance?" Kili offered his hand to Tharwen who was sitting in a chair quietly while the others ate and danced.

"Sure thing, Kili." She said, sliding her sword down underneath her chair.

"Bofur pick up the pace a bit." She called.

Bofur started a faster tune and Tharwen held Kili's hand, leading him into a fast paced dance.

"Shouldn't I be leading?" He asked as Tharwen twirled herself around him.

"Don't be too sure." She said smiling. "Tharkens let the girls lead."

"Well I think it's time for a change then." Kili said, pulling her closer and turning her to press her back against him.

"You're a good dancer." He complimented as they moved across the wooden floor.

"So are you." She replied, stepping up onto the rise off a platform and letting Kili wrap one arm around her waist to swing her back down.

"Do you dance for people?" He asks as they twirl.

The others are clapping and singing along to Bofur's song, Fili brought out his fiddle and was playing a faster backing tone.

"I used too, when I was younger, my father would hold balls for me, to find me a suitor and anyone who managed to keep up with my dancing, who could mirror my every move, would have a possibility of becoming my partner, thats how our ones work, through dance." She said as Kili leaned her back.

"But isn't that?" Kili didn't know what to say.

"Bonds are formed through dance when it comes to Tharkens, so you have nothing to worry about, I've already been bonded Kili." She says and Kili blushes bright red to the tips of his ears.

"Although you'd be able to find a bunch of Tharken lasses with dance moves like these." Tharwen teased and just when she thought he couldn't go any redder, he turned almost beetroot.

"Well, I'll show you something Dwarvish." He says and changes the pace. Bofur and Fili pick it up and the song slows down catching Gandalf, Beorn, Thorin, Balin and Dwalin's attention from the other side off the room and they see Kili leading Tharwen in a semi-slow dance, hands guiding her to move in time with the music. He guides her feet and lets her lean against him and Thorin can feel a burn of jealousy in his chest as Kili whispers something to her and she replies with something that makes Kili smile.

"So, how good is my dancing now?" He whispers to Tharwen as he lets his hands slide to her waist as she gets the hang off it.

"Almost as good as Dharwen." Kili grins and he his eyes pick up a brightness.

"What does that mean?" He asks.

"It means your brilliant." She compliments and Kili is already blushing again.

"You should see Fili then, he dances way better than me." He says and then calls Fili over to them.

"You called brother."

"Dance with Tharwen." He says, leaving Fili with Tharwen.

"Milady." He says, taking her hand and pressing a kiss to it.

"Dramatics, Master Fili, your brother says your better than him at dancing."

"Really? Last I checked I couldn't dance to save my life." Fili chuckled and wrapped his arm around Tharwen.

"Well show me then." She says and they're off, twirling around, their feet moving in perfect sync, bodies moving like a mirror and their hands placed lightly against each other as if they were feeling a wall.

Kili was on the fiddle taking his brothers place and setting the perfect pace for their dance, not to fast, not to slow, Tharwen melted into Fili hold, letting him lead the dance, leading into a dip and a turn, spin and she soon found her back pressed against Fili's front, one hand holding her waist, another holding her hand, hips moving in sync.

* * *

Thorin hated it, to see his nephews dancing with Tharwen, they had no right. He had made his choice first, he wanted her, he loved her. Then he thought off how he never spoke to her, how she never gave him a second thought, how _he _treated her.

"You can desire her but you cannot have her." Beorn's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Why do you say that I desire her?" He scoffed.

"I can smell it on you, you desire her like the gold in that mountain, but trust me when I say this Thorin Oakenshield. If you love her, she'll out live you, she would not fall for you, she's bonded to Dharwen, and her shift would only seek it's own kind, there's nothing from you she's already been given or had since birth.

"I am a king."

"And she is a queen." Beorn retorted.

"I could give her treasure."

"She has no care for gold."

"I could love her."

"And she could never love you, even if she tried, her fate, and her kind are not like that... and she will tell you in time." Beorn said.

"Her kind, half elf isn't she?"

"Much more than that. She looks fine doesn't she? Not a scar on her. Nothing?" He says.

"Aye she's perfect."

"That's where your wrong. It's called glamour, you can't see them. Of course you, I'm sorry, but she isn't as perfect as you think. She's scarred Master Dwarf, you may not see it but she'll show you... in time of course." Beorn left him there with his thoughts.

* * *

"You can dance." Tharwen practically giggled as he spun her around the room. Bofur and Nori were dancing too, although it looked like Nori was trying not to trip and land on his face.

"Well thank you. Your dancing is amazing. Who taught you?"

"I learnt myself, all Tharkens can dance, I just took it more seriously than others." She replied.

"That's brilliant. You're brilliant." He says.

"Not really Master Fili." She gave a shrug.

"Nope no, none off this Master business, you're a part off this company and a part off this quest, and I think Kili and I could consider you as family, so has Nori and Bofur. So just Fili is fine." Fili says and twirls her again.

"Fine of course, I think you'll get along with my brother Fili. He's quite like you." She says and they move to a different dance.

"What's this called?" Fili asks as he picks up the footwork as easily as he knows how to use his swords.

"Krywn, named after a Tharken princess, who was going to get married to a man she didn't love, so her and her bonded crashed a masquerade ball, danced with him infront off everyone." She said and Fili catches her mid turn with ease.

"That's so, noble." He said.

"No, that is love Fili, your quest, your cause is noble. Love is an entirely different thing." She shook her head.

"Oi some people want to dance with her too!" Nori shouted from a chair which he claimed after giving up on dancing.

"Well come and here and dance!" Fili shouted back and Tharwen laughed.

"Come on boys, there's enough off me to go around, seriously. One dance for all off you, promise." She says and Fili lets Nori take over.

"You know Thorin looked like he's about to kill the boys right." Nori whispers as he focuses on his footwork.

"You don't think I realized, one off the reasons why I continued dancing with the two in the first place." She whispered back. "He's fun to annoy."

Nori gives a chuckle before Tharwen catches his arm mid trip.

"I'm no good at foot work." He says. "I'm a thief, not a dancer."

"Haha well then. I'm going to take a break. I haven't dance this much since Dharwen and I snuck to a festival in Thranduil's palace. Never again we did that." She said and Nori let her go back to where she left her sword.

"An ale Tharwen?" Beorn asked.

"Nah, some off the Tharken stuff Fharwen brought last time we came here, do you still have any?" She asked.

"Of course you brought a lot just for me." Beorn says and turns too a barrel that's on one off the higher shelves.

"Here you go." He says, passing a clear mug with red liquid in it to her.

"Haven't had this in ages." She said, drinking the liquid, it burned as it went down her throat but she kept drinking.

"Hey Fi, I think she can out drink you!" Kili called.

"Oi just cause I like a good drink does not mean I'm interested in drinking games." Tharwen said as the dwarves sent knowing glances to each other.

"Please?"

"Just this once?"

"We won't do anything, promise."

"We won't even prank anyone in the morning."

"You can have our money." Kili says.

"Or you could get a little kiss." Fili randomly says.

Tharwen just shoots him a weirded out look.

"Really?" Kili asks slapping Fili's shoulder.

"Fine, fine, I'll join." She says.

"Let the games begin Bofur says.

* * *

Bofur, Nori, Bifur, Dwalin, Kili, Fili, Dori, Gloin and Oin all joined in the drinking. Tharwen still ahead. They all decided to try Tharken drinks because Tharwen had already started.

"Come on, I'm so winning." Dwalin slurred as he thumped his mug on the table.

"Nah, Mister Dwalin, I think Tharwen's way ahead of you." Ori said, pointing at Tharwen who was easily downing the drink as if it was water.

"I'm out!" Kili announced.

"Me too." Dori said.

Bifur signed something and Bofur translated. "Bifur says he's out."

Ten minutes later Dwalin, Nori, Gloin and Tharwen were drinking away.

"Oh come on you're not getting beaten by a woman." Bofur says to Dwalin and his movements become more sluggish.

"I've seen Tharwen drink, she beat her own brother once." She heard Bilbo whisper, to whom she didn't know.

"Hey where's my support?" Tharwen asks and Beorn, who is watching the unfolding scene gives Tharwen a pat on the back.

"I'm guessing the drink is too strong for dwarves." Beorn says.

"Strong?" Tharwen said in disbelief. "This is one of our weakest drinks."

"How is this weak?" Fili says motioning to the drink.

"It's weak for us." Tharwen says and Dwalin announces he's out off the game.

"Come on Nori, Gloin." She teases and Nori and Gloin ask for a refill.

"Way ahead off you my friends." Tharwen says and she's pouring another mug for herself.

"Oi just give up you two, she's winning easily." Bofur calls and both Nori and Gloin send a string of curses in both Khuzdul and Westorn in his direction.

"Now now watch your language." Bofur taunts.

Nori just makes rude gestures at him while Gloin takes another drink.

"Eh, I'm out." Nori says and Bofur starts laughing at him, causing Nori to, instead of slapping him like he expects, plops into his lap like a giddy girl.

"Woah." Bofur gasps and Nori starts playing with the flap off his hat.

"That is..." Tharwen trails off, mug raised to her lips, she takes a sip and smiles. "Quite cute actually."

"Give up Gloin." She laughs, refilling her mug.

"You win lass." He manages to say and Tharwen raises her glass.

"Woohoo! To Tharkens and their apparently to strong drinks, and my friends, I swear, this was a good game." She cheers, slightly drunk.

"Oh come on, I'll give you a taste of Dwarvish ale when we reclaim Erebor." Dwalin says.

"Right, Tharken ale is stronger than The Elven Kings wine. Trust me I know." Tharwen jested and Dwalin let out a laugh.

"Get to bed." Gandalf interruppted. "It's getting quite late."

"Yeah I think so." Bilbo yawned.

"I won 't be sleeping for a while." Tharwen muttered.

"Yes I forgot about that." Bilbo says.

"Yeah so did I."

Tharwen leaned back and winced when her shoulder rested against the chair.

"You never got that checked out did you?" Bilbo asks as the other dwarves clean up the mess they'd made.

"What?" Tharwen asked.

"Your shoulder, you never got it looked at." Bilbo asked.

"Nah, didn't have time, and Lindir said it'd be fine, well, he said it'd be fine if I didn't use it and kept it's wrapping on. But um... as you can tell, I didn't really listen."

"Now whose the irresponsible prat." Bilbo scolded.

"Master Beorn, could you take a look at Tharwens left shoulder. She hurt it earlier in the journey." Bilbo asked Beorn.

"Sure thing, you lot get some rest, I'll look after this little one."

"I ain't little."

"By Tharken standards your only a child Tharwen, don't get into this argument again."

"But Beorn." Tharwen whined.

"Now you're acting your age. Tharwen! Behave for once and stay still." Beorn rebuked.

"Sorry." She muttered with a childish scowl. She stopped moving and watched as the others headed to their bed rolls, Bilbo following them.

* * *

"Tharwen, come one, off with your cloak. Stop being so stubborn!" Beorn tried not to raise his voice.

"Listen to Beorn, Tharwen." Gandalf scolded. "That shoulder off yours will seriously affect your performance."

"Ugh... fine." She took off her cloak and long sleeved vest, leaving on a sleeveless training shirt. "There." She said.

The old injury was worse than she thought. The distorted skin was blistering and the wrappings were already soaked red.

"Tharwen, those are your burns, I thought they healed." Beorn said, severly chastising the Tharken.

"No, it's mostly glamour, it covers the damage." She said, bowing her head.

"Now, nothing to be ashamed. Remember that Thranduil has to do the same, and majority of your kin uses glamour too." Beorn comforted.

"I know."

She winced as Beorn dabbed the salve on gently and wrapped her shoulder tightly.

"Don't strain your shoulder anymore." He warned sternly.

"I won't"

"Promise me." He insisted.

"I promise Beorn." She said softly. She recognized the tone and softened her scowl to a small smile. He was only trying to make sure she got to go back to Fharwen. "I promise."

"Good now off to bed Tharwen. No buts." He ordered and she got up, grabbing her sword that was stowed in the corner.

"Right. Good night." She said, going to where the others had set up the bedrolls.

"Good night." Gandalf called.

"I fear for her safety." Beorn said to Gandalf after she left.

"I know, it is a dangerous quest."

"It's not just that. Thorin Oakenshield is her biggest threat, her Tharken form will not allow another bond, and her shift may be their downfall. I fear, when she comes to see that dragon, she may not be able to resist it anymore." Beorn tells Gandalf.

"Smaug will not be a threat unless he feels the pull as well."

"If he shifts into human form and confronts her, she'll be lost, Tharwen will react to the shift and we may not get her back."

"I see." Gandalf said, feeling the weight of Beorns words.

"Watch her. Just don't let her become one of the chained." He said, lifting his hand that had a metal bound on it, half a chain attached. "Once it's on, it'll never come off, and she belongs to him."

Gandalf nods and Beorn leaves his home.

Gandalf can hear the growl and roar of the great black bear he's become and the bounding off his paws as he leaves the area.

"Oh Tharwen, this quest, I fear for your heart." Gandalf whisperes to himself as the candles in the hall flicker out.


	11. I'm not to fond of arrows

"I can't believe this was the Greenwood." Tharwen grumbles, triping over another root.

Thorin reached out to help her up but she batted his hand away rolling her eyes.

"I'm fine." She says, dusting the dirt off her front and ignoring him.

"Alright, come on get a move on." Thorin ordered.

"Whatever." She said before moving along.

She tripped again and this time she let out a string off Tharkeen curses.

"I am sick off this!" She spat, kicking the foot off the tree.

"Calm down." Bilbo said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"You of all people really Bilbo." She gave a leveled glare and ignored the rest off the company.

* * *

"Oi, whats up with her?" Dwalin asked.

"I think it's Dariens' birthday today." Bilbo muttered quietly.

"The lass's little brother?" Bofur asked.

"Yes. She's in a bad mood, is all. Just don't make her angry, or we'll all be dead before we reach that mountain." Bilbo warned.

"She's not that bad is she?" Balin asked curiously.

"Hell no, she's bad." Bilbo says before jumping out off the way off a flying pebble.

"And here she goes." He muttered.

"You insufferable dwarf can you not, I'm not a pathetic being, okay!" Tharwen yelled at Thorin.

"Just being polite, kind, anything else off the matter." Thorin retorted

"I don't need you too!" She spat back at him.

"Oh course, you don't need anyone, which is probably why you don't have anyone!" He snapped.

Tharwen's face dropped, eyes growing dark. Thorin's words struck her in the core. Of course she didn't have anyone, they were gone, her mother, her father, Dharwen, Darien... oh Darien. She should have been there, for both Darien and Dharwen.

"You're right." She said softly.

Thorin kept the stoic expression on his face and turned away, walking further forward on the path.

* * *

_'Do you feel like your drowning when you fall?'_ The voice floated in her head. _'Does it hurt you like it hurts everyone around you?' 'Are you clawing at your throat for breath?' 'You can see it through your eyes but you cannot act on which you desire. You watched as his throat was slit, you watched as they devoured his essence, his heart, his soul and you were defenceless to stop all that would haunt your dreams.' _Tharwen blinked as someone grabbed her arm.

"Lassie, what's wrong?" Dwalin's gruff voice asked.

She shook her head slightly. "Nothing."

"We'll stop here and make camp!" Thorin ordered from the front off the group. Dwalin moved to the front off the group, leaving Tharwen and Riìkan alone at the end.

'**_I can feel your shift moving closer to me, come to me darling pet.' _**A low voice calls and Tharwen feels magic just weaving its way through the company and towards her her.

* * *

Tharwen watched as the company was taken by surprise by spiders and were wrapped up in silk in the blink off an eye, she crouched low and watched as Bilbo killed a spider on a branch above where the company hung, by stabbing it through the web it had spun around him and it crashed onto the ground infront off her, she jumped back as the arachnid slowly stopped moving.

She debated whether to help Bilbo or stay on the ground, so she could help if Bilbo's attempts failed.

Bilbo disappeared from sight suddenly and Tharwen crept back. Another spider crashed into the ground and Tharwen watched as Bilbo came back into view.

* * *

"Lath'rien, vos come vat to nehwre, deritea, srtherwyinm, nhio, justhynm." Riìkan croaked.

"Riìkan?" Tharwen asked as her vision blurred.

"Spiders my queen."

"Riìkan!" She felt the world spin as she saw a spider crawl above her and a sharp pain in her side. Looking down she saw a small sharp point protruding from her side and blood dripping down.

"That looks pretty." She murmered as the blood dripped off and she fell to the ground following the drop off blood.

"Tharwen!" Thorin screamed, seeing the spider wrap Tharwen in it's silk.

* * *

Battle cries sounded from the members off the company as spiders swarmed through the leaves and from around trees, using their webs to lower themselves onto the dwarves on the ground.

Though hacking and slashing, Thorin couldn't keep his head focused, watching as the spider that was carrying Tharwen prepared to sink his pincers into her, one off Fili's well aimed hunting daggers to the eye caused it too cry out in pain and it dropped her.

"Fili, Kili, get her away from the spiders." He ordered.

"I can't get to her!" Fili yelled, dodging a spider.

"I can try?" Kili said, sliding under a spider and running towards Tharwen.

"She's bleeding!" Kili yelled as he knelt next to her, ripping off the webbing.

"How bad?" He asked from where he stabbed another spider.

"I dunno for sure, but she's awake." Kili called back.

"Why does it hurt?" Tharwen mumbled.

"You got bitten by a spider I think." Kili said, trying to help her stand.

"Blurry. Kili?"

"Yes. Tharwen." Kili shook her gently.

"I can't see, why can't I see? I can tell it's you because off your voice and I can feel you there... I can't see you, Kili." She felt tears trickling down her face.

* * *

There was a loud comotion and shrieks from the spiders.

Thorin slowed to a stop as an arrow was pointed at his head.

"Do not think I won't kill you dwarf, it would be my pleasure." Legolas warned.

Thorin lowered his and Legolas ordered the other elves to search them.

* * *

Kili let out a scream as a spider grabbed his foot, pulling both him and Tharwen onto the ground.

"KILI!" He heard his brother yell.

An arrow hit the spider in the eye and it let go off Kili's grip.

"Help her please." Kili pleaded as an auburn haired elf killed a spider.

"Who is she?"

"Her name's Tharwen, she was with us, we stopped for camp and a spider bit her, please?" Kili begged.

"It's okay, I'll help you, just." She through a dagger into another spider. "Wait a second."

"Is she alright?" Kili asked as the she-elf looked at Tharwens wound.

"I'm not sure, how long since?" She asked.

"I think, I'm not sure, half an hour, fourty five minutes. She says she can't see anything." He said quickly.

"We'll have to get her to the others." She said, before reaching an arm around Tharwen.

"Tauriel?" She groaned quietly, leaning up. "I can't see you. Why can't I see you?"

"I don't know Tharwen, I'll take you to Legolas." She said before looking at Kili.

"Can you help me carry her?" Tauriel asked.

"Sure." He picked her up.

"Tauriel? Gulthun dul nungul bine?" He asked.

"E'northeir guir niur dwhir nungul, heath'wir."

Tauriel motioned Kili to come forward.

"It's Tharwen, Legolas."

"Ai!" Legolas took in a sharp breath. "We need to take her too my father!"

"She is part off this company." Thorin said.

"She won't live if she stays with you." Legolas retorted.

"Legolas, take her, it'll be faster if you go on your own."

* * *

"Adar! It's Tharwen." Legolas found him self sweating with shock. He hadn't seen Tharwen since he was a child.

"Where did you find her?" Thranduil knelt next to Tharwen's shivering body.

"Tauriel found her with a dwarf, she said she's been bitten by a spider."

"Tôg athelas! Boe de nestad. See that a healer comes immediately!" Thranduil ordered to a nearby guard.

"Adar? Will she be alright?"

"I don't know, for now, I think we should leave her with the healers, if her conditions worsen, I will tend to her myself." Thranduil said softly, pushing the hair off Tharwen's face. "She is a sister to me Legolas, I will do what is in my power so that she can survive." He gave the unconcious Tharwen a small smile before getting up from his kneeling position.

"I will see to the prisoners, stay with her."

* * *

"Some may imagine that a noble quest is at hand. A quest to reclaim a homeland and slay a dragon. I myself, suspect a more prosaic motive, attempted bugglary... or something off that ilk. You've found a way in. You seek that would bestow upon you the right to rule, the kings jewel, The Arkenstone. It is precious to you beyond measure, I understand that. There are gems in the mountain that I too desire. White gems off pure starlight. I offer you my help." Thranduil bowed his head somewhat sincerely.

"I am listening." Thorin said.

"I'll let you go... if you but return what is mine."

"A favour for a favour?" Thorin mused.

"You have my word." Thranduil promised. "One king to another."

"I would not trust... Thranduil, great king, to honour his word! Till the end off all days be upon us! You lack all honour! I have seen how you treat your friends! We came to you once, starving! Homeless! Seeking your help!" He spat. "But you turned your back! You turned away from the suffering off my people! And the inferno that destroyed us!"

Thranduil stared in disbelief and bottled-up anger. As Thorin was in mid curse in Khuzdul when he interrupted, seeing red, feeling himself tremble at his own fear, his own pain.

"Do not speak to me about dragon fire! I know it's wrath and ruin!"

As he spoke, Thorin saw Thranduil's face contort in pain as it revealed distorted and burnt skin. "I have faced the serpents of the north!"

Thranduil walked to the steps leading to his throne.

"I warned your grandfather, of what his greed would summon, but he would not listen, you are just like him. I will not let your quest take another life I care about." He motioned to the guards and they seized Thorin by the arms.

"Stay here if you will, a hundred years is mere blink, in the life of an elf. I'm patient, I can wait." He partially sneered at the dwarf. "You will not kill my family for your own greed."

* * *

"Did he offer you a deal?" Balin asked as the elf that shoved him into the cell left.

"He did, I told him he could go Ish-kagveha do nul. Him and all his kin!" Thorin shouted from his cell.

"A deal was our only hope." Balin said.

"Not our only hope." Thorin muttered.

* * *

"How is she?" Thranduil asked the healer, kneeling next to Tharwen, who was shivering and muttering under her breath on the healing bed.

"She earnt herself a fever, the poison has already traveled far, her eyesight is damaged and the wound festers. She's not getting worse, but it'll be a while until she gets better." He said, replacing the wet cloth on her forehead. "It's a good thing your son brought her here in time, any later and her survival may be out off our hands.

"You may leave." He said softly. "I will keep watch on her health."

The healer gave a small bow and left the room.

"Echuio, Tharwen, gellon ned i galar i chent gîn ned gladhog, not your eyes filled with desire for death and darkness, im meleth le nín gwathel. Please echuio."

"Adar?" Legolas's voice came from the doorway.

"Ion nin."

"How is she?" He asked, kneeling next to his father.

"Her condition isn't worsening, but she'll take a while to recover her full strength."

"I haven't see her since, nana died. How old is she now?"

"She's only seven centuries younger than me. She is a little sister to me Legolas. She cared for you when I couldn't. Do you remember? You were only a few decades old ion nín."

"I remember her voice, her face, she played with me near the waterfalls and followed me pebble collecting." He said, closing his eyes at the memory.

"Yes she did. You looked up to her, and I am proud that you still do." Thranduil said softly, gently stroking the side of Tharwen's face.

"I will leave you with her ada, I know, that she is family, I will be checking on the prisoners." Legolas said, slowly getting up from next to the healing bed and heading to the door giving one last glance over his shoulder to see his father whispering to Tharwen, words of comfort and promise.

"I need to see you smile sister dear. I did a bad job looking after you sister dearest, never did it right, but you turned out right, even with glamour, you make a wonderful queen." Thranduil whispered, hearing the door click shut, unaware that someone else had slipped out with Legolas.

* * *

"The stone in your hand? What is it?" Tauriel asked.

"It's a talismen." Kili answered, clutching it in his hands protectively. "A powerful spell lies upon it, if any but a dwarf reads the runes on this stone, they will be forever cursed."

Tauriel moved away from the cell.

"Or not!" Kili said quickly. "Depending on whether you believe in that kind off thing, it's just a token." He said with a laugh. "A runestone."

"My mother gave it to me so I would remember my promise."

"What promise." Tauriel asked.

"That I would come back to her."

"She worries." He said after a slight pause. "She thinks I'm reckless."

"Are you?"

"Nah." He said, throwing the stone in the air, going to catch it, missing. The small stone clinking as it bounced through the bars.

Tauriel stopped it from falling off the end off the walkway and picked it up.

"Sounds like quite the party, you're having up there." Kili said, eyes fleeting to the ceiling as noises of cheers floated down into the dungeons.

"It is Merithen Gilith. The Feast of Starlight. All light is sacred to the eldar, but woodelves love best the light off the stars." She said fondly.

"I always thought it is a cold light, remote and far away." Kili said, almost distraught looking.

"It is memory, precious and pure, like your promise." She smiled down at Kili holding out the stone in her hand.

"I have walked there sometimes, beyond the forest and up into the night, I have seen the world fall away, and the white light forever fill the air."

"I saw a firemoon once." Kili said. "It rose over the pass near Dunland, was huge, red and gold it was, filled the sky." He said with wonder. "We were escorts for some merchants from Erid Luin, they were trading in silver work for ferns, we took the Greenway south." He smiled shyly as Tauriel sat on the steps next to his cell. "Keeping the mountain to our left and there it was, a huge fire moon lighting our path."

* * *

"We took the Greenway south." Legolas heard as he walked down the steps towards the dungeons. "Keeping the mountain to our left and there it was, a huge fire moon lighting our path."

He watched as Tauriel and a dwarf spoke to each other, sneering at every word the dwarf said.

* * *

"Any news off Tharwen?" Balin asked as Bofur continued to complain to Fili and Ori.

"Thranduil said nothing off the sort. Although," Thorin paused._ 'I will not let your quest take another life I care about.' 'You will not kill my family for your own greed.' _Thranduils words came back to him. "Thranduil told me, that he would not let this quest take another life he cares about, and that I would not kill his family for my own greed."

"You don't think."

"I think he has Tharwen."

"That he does, my friends." Bilbo said, peaking in from the side off the cell bars.

"Bilbo! Tharwen, how is she?" Thorin asked.

"She's in a healing room, somewhere on the second floor I think. She's unconcious, has a fever, the spiders poison has travelled far, her eyesight is damaged, and I think the spider bite, the wound, is festering, I heard the elvish healer say." Bilbo said.

"Who else was there?"

"Thranduil and his son."

"What was that elf, doing with her?"

"Childhood friends, she's seven centuries younger than him. Thranduil thinks off her as his younger sister. He said a few things in elvish, about how she should wake up, how he loved to see the shine in her eyes when she laughed... then he said something about desire for death and darkness." Bilbo relayed reluctantly.

"Anything else, about when she'll be at least concious, or able to move."

"I doubt she'll be moving for a while Thorin, even if her wound heals and fever breaks, her eyesight is temporarily gone, there will be no way she could continue this quest." Bilbo said practically.

"We won't leave without her." Thorin said. "We'll need her when the time comes, I can feel it, someway, Gandalf pulled her onto this quest for a reason."

"Tell the others, tell them not to speak a word to any of the elves until we can get Tharwen out off here with us." Thorin asked Bilbo.

* * *

**Translations:**

**Tharkeen: **

Lath'rien, vos come vat to nehwre, deritea, srtherwyinm, nhio, justhynm. = M'lady Tharwen, somthing lurks in the shadows around you, spawn off the necromancer, danger is near you.

**Sindarian:**

Tauriel? Gulthun dul nungul bine? = Tauriel have you killed the spiders.

E'northeir guir niur dwhir nungul, heath'wir. = Yes, but more will come, they are getting bolder.

Tôg athelas! Boe de nestad. = Bring Kingsfoil, she needs healing.

Adar/Ada. = Father.

Echuio. = Awaken/Wake up.

Gellon ned i galar i chent gîn ned gladhog. = I love to see your eyes shine when you laugh.

Im meleth le nín gwathel. = I love you my sister.

Ion nin. = My son.

**Khuzdul***

*The translation is too vulgar even for me to include into my story.


	12. Let me do one thing?

**Note: Tharwen is basically a little sister to Thranduil, NO LOVE INTREST! STRICTLY PLATONIC! I tweaked the ages a bit, so Elladan and Elrohir are still older than Tharwen and her age is still somewhat close-ish to Thranduils. Legolas sees her as the mother he lost. Legolas is obviously jealous of Kili, just to point that out. But no he won't be paired with Tauriel neither will Kili. maybe,... I don't know. Tharwen's discription, appearance and voice is all left up to your own imaginations, but she is taller than the dwarves, her height is the same as elves and her outfit is Aragorns in Lotr. That's all I have to say about Tharwen. Tharken's, as I say, are my own creation, including their language and all the things than come along with Tharkens, their history, names mentioned etc. So copyright. Also, just incase you all are interested, this book will have five parts. The sequels will follow the storyline for Lotr, The fellowship off the ring, The two towers and Retunr off the king, as the 2nd, 3rd and 4th parts, whilst the 5th book will be something off my own creation.**

**Anyways, read on.**

*x*x*x

* * *

*x*x*x

"Tharwen, echuio, I love you my sweet, sister, I need to see you smile." Thranduil pleaded softly.

"Adar?" Legolas said softly from the doorway.

"Yes Legolas?"

"The dwarf king wishes to speak to you."

"Why?"

"It's about Tharwen." Legolas said.

"What does he want to know about her?" Thranduil asked, standing from his seat next to the bed.

"He will not say."

"I will see to him." Just as Thranduil turned, Tharwen grasped his hand.

"Avo 'wanno na nîn nef er." She croaked. "Gwestog?" She asked, scared.

"Lath'rien..."

"Please. I'm scared..." She whimpered.

"Tharwen, can you see me?" Thranduil asked gently.

Tharwen let out a sob as she shook her head. "No. Why can't I see you? Muindor? Why?" She sobbed.

Thranduil knelt next to her wrapping and arm around her.

"It'll be alright. Everything will be alright. I promise, av-'osto. How do you feel?" He asked softly, wiping her tears away.

"My head hurts and my stomach, I'm hungry..." She mumbled.

"I'll get the healers to bring you some broth."

"Is Legolas there?" She asked suddenly. "I mean I can feel another but..." She trailed off.

"It's alright, and yes Legolas is here. Ion nin." Thranduil said, motioning Legolas to come closer.

"Hey." He said softly.

"Hey Legolas. Thanks for finding us." She said.

"Us?"

"Me and Kili, we were separated from the others." She clenched her teeth as she felt searing pain behind her eyes.

"Kili?"

"The tall one, well taller than the other dwarves, dark hair." She said before coughing.

"Oh him." Legolas sneered.

"Where are they?" She asked through coughs.

"In the dungeons." Thranduil answered.

"Can I go see them?" She asked.

"You're not exactly in a good condition to go and do that." Thranduil said softly.

"Please?" She asked, pouting slightly.

"Don't give me that face. Oh Tharwen fine. I'll take you down there." Thranduil gave in.

"Thank you, muindor." She gave him a small smile.

*x*x*x

* * *

*x*x*x

"Tharwen!" Fili clanged against the cell bars as Thranduil helped her down the steps.

"Fili?" She lifted her head.

"Here!" He reached out his hand through the bars.

She felt his hand brush against her arm and she reached blindly for it.

"I can't see you."

"What do you mean? I'm right here Tharwen."

"Her eyesight's temporarily damaged." Thranduil said softly, pushing the her hair out off her eyes.

Fili's eyes widened at the gentle gesture. There was more between the two than he interpreted from Thorin's message that Bilbo passed on, he didn't make a comment.

"Oh, well Tharwen, you're okay now right?" Fili asked.

She nodded.

"Good, now go see Kili, he's worried about you." Fili said.

"Um, can't see remember." She bit her lip nervously.

"Oh yeah."

"Kili!" Fili called from his cell.

"Fili!" Kili replied.

"Tharwen's here." He said and the other dwarves peered out off their cells.

"Tharwen!" Kili, Bofur, Nori and the others called.

"Just making this clear I can't see ish-jaitr nah!" She said aloud.

"What?" She heard Kili asked as Thranduil smacked her arm.

"Language Lath'rien!" He scolded.

"What she say?"

"She said she can't see shit." He flinched at the curse.

"Well! I can't!" She snapped.

"Then you shouldn't have convinced me to help you come down here right?" He argued. "Now come on, you wanted to talk to them. Who do you want to talk to next? I promised I'll help you and I will."

"Where's Thorin?"

"Why do you-?"

"Where is he?"

"Lath'rien.."

"Where is he, Thranduil honestly, will you take me too see him, and let us talk without spying?"

"If that is what you wish Lath'rien. Then I will allow it." He sighed.

*x*x*x

* * *

*x*x*x

"Tharwen. Are you okay?"

"Thorin."

"Did they hurt you?"

"Thorin..."

"Did the spiders hurt you?"

"Thorin."

"Did Thranduil do anything to you?"

"Thorin god dammit listen to me." She shouted over Thorin's constant questions.

"Sorry."

"I'm fine. Thranduil's looking after me."

"We'll leave soon, in a week, if my eyesight comes back, if not you leave without me." She said.

"No Tharwen, I won't leave without you."

"Why not? This isn't my quest, Thorin, if my eyesight doesn't come back, I will be no use on this quest. You have to go without me." She said truthfully.

"I won't leave a member off this company behind." He said stubbornly.

"But I'm not right, I never signed anything, I'm here on my own free will, because I decided to help you. And this counts, I will only slow you down."

"No, you won't I'll help you, Kili and Fili will help you. Bilbo will help you."

"Thorin, why do you want me to stay? Why, it's just making this so much harder?" She half pleaded, half sighed.

"I don't want to part with you, Tharwen..." He seemed hesitant at first. "I love you."

Tharwen gave him a pained face and looked distraught. "Thorin."

"Look if it's about the quest I understand, but I cannot leave without you, it would be leaving my heart behind."

"Thorin, it's not that."

"Then what is it?"

"I can't love you. Thorin love isn't fair, life isn't fair. I lost my one to something I could have stopped and I physically and mentally incapable of loving you. It's the way I was made."

"I love you."

"But I can't love you Thorin."

"Why?"

"Because. My heart isn't built for loving other races." She said tiredly.

"But you'll let me love you?" He asked, somewhat desperately.

"Thorin, you will only lend up hurting yourself, is that what you want? To be hurt?" She asked.

"I only ask you let me do one thing Tharwen." He says softly.

"What is it Thorin?"

"Let me have one kiss, from you." He asks. "So I can know what your lips feel like in case I die on this quest."

Tharwen leaned back, slowly resting her head against the wall.

"Right because you're gonna die. You're tougher than nails Thorin Oakenshield. I don't think you'll die on this quest!" She said.

"Please?" Thorin sounded so sad to Tharwen.

"Okay, but you'll have to come here."

"You are my world Tharwen." Thorin said softly, lips ghosting Tharwens.

Tharwen closed her eyes and Thorin kissed her slowly, hand cupping the back off her neck.

Pulling away, Thorin kissed Tharwens forehead.

"Thank you." He felt something damp and noticed tears trickling down Tharwens face.

*x*x*x

* * *

**Note: Lath'rien is Tharwen's Tharkeen name. Only Thranduil calls her that.**

**NO she will not be dating Thorin.**

**NO she isn't going to date anyone in the company.**

**Translations: (Sindarian)**

**Avo 'wanno na nîn nef er. = Please don't leave me/ Don't leave me alone please?**

**Gwestog? = Promise?**

***x*x*x**

* * *

***x*x*x**

**Tharwen's discription, appearance and voice is all left up to your own imaginations, but she is taller than the dwarves, her height is the same as elves and her outfit is Aragorns in Lotr. That's all I have to say about Tharwen. Tharken's, as I say, are my own creation, including their language and all the things than come along with Tharkens, their history, names mentioned etc. So copyright. Also, just incase you all are interested, this book will have five parts. The sequels will follow the storyline for Lotr, The fellowship off the ring, The two towers and Return off the king, as the 2nd, 3rd and 4th parts, whilst the 5th book will be something off my own creation.**


	13. Memories so cold

"So you're telling me he kissed you. and you didn't mind." Thranduil asked.

"I cannot love him and you know it." Tharwen said.

"But you have fallen for men, the men of Gondor, time and time again, did you not remember any off the times I had to come rescue you from the men who tried time and again to use you?"

"If I fall for a man, may it be now, or the future, I know when my heart will have healed." She bit back.

"I am only surprised you haven't even beared a child that is Dharwen's, you both spend so much time using Elladan and Elrohir's athelas mixture it has become less of a jest and more off a concern." He said.

"You know we only _used _it because they slipped it into our drinks." She scowl, barking at him from where she sat.

"You have to let them go. They want to reclaim their home, let them." Tharwen said, tilting her head in his direction.

"Has he poisoned you? They are signing a contract for their own death. Do you wish for them to do so?"

"I forgot how stubborn you are." She huffed before making a rude gesture at him. "Let them go. They will succeed but most likely at a terrible cost. And you will _will _allow them to leave."

"And why should i do that?" He asked nonchalantly.

"Because, I want them to go. Let them go now and I will not go with them." She blinked rapidly for a few moments.

"Are you alright?" Thranduil asked concerned.

"Yes, now will you let them go or not?"

"I don't think I should because _you _will follow them, with or without your eyesight. I know for a fact you'll get Legolas to help you."

"I'm hurt, you think I'll do that, I have a much better plan brother dear." She said almost mockingly, leaning back against the wall the healing bed was pushed against. "You just have to realise when had I put it into action."

"What?"

"You heard me just fine." She smiled. "Don't pretend you didn't hear me. And as for your prisoners, brother dearest."

There was a loud thunk and Thranduil turned.

"Who's there?" He asked, cocking his head with interest.

"Now really brother, are you hearing things now?" She teased.

"Shut it Lath'rien." He growled.

"Do you really think something is even there?" She said somewhat evily.

"I do not like your tone."

"Of course you don't, you've never liked this tone especially in times like this." She mocked.

"You're incorrigable."

"Honey you should have seen me in a crown." She gave him a wicked grin.

Thranduil, not that he would admit it, was scared. He was scared that his little sister was putting her life on the line again. That her nonchalant attitude was going to get her killed one day. She was so outgoing, selfless, so willing, so courages, kind, amazing, gorgeous, heart-wrenchingly beautiful, helpful, devoted and_ fiercely loyal._

He remembered back too when she had her coming off age party. She had just managed to shake off Fharwen, who was following her around like a protective older pup, who Thranduil suspects he was at the time, when he ambushed her from behind a pillar, getting thwacked in the face for _'scaring her to death'. _He didn't like Lath'rien wandering off on her own, especially with the amount of lads that had shown up to capture her heart, and the amount off rumours he's heard about majority off them.

Oh course he was being the protective big brother, he had a bond with her that both their fathers had **(correctly)** thought would make Lath'rien a stronger queen if something happened to Fharwen. He didn't expect her to find her beloved on that day either, and he was so fiercely protective over her that day two, he remembered seeing the masked man whisk her off into a dance, the way their bodies in perfect sync, they were one. They spoke as one, thought as one, breathed as one, _lived _as one.

Then Lath'rien was torn away from him after years off love, she grew cold, she grew hateful, then Legolas came, and she found a joy in him, treated him like her own son and Thranduil knew she was once again the same girl, the same queen, the same spirit, who would not let anyone go through the pain and suffering that she had all those months ago.

She didn't behave like a queen, hardly ever would she wear her crown, just the circlet that Thranduil had to force her to wear most off the time, she'd run off, have adventures, meet new people, gain her life back.

When he saw Legolas carrying her into the throne room and laying her on the floor, her fierce shivering and the droplets off sweat forming on her forehead, the gasps she let out as the poison traveled further into her blood stream, her skin as it grew deathly cold.

He was so scared. He didn't want to lose her. He _didn't. _He'd _die! _Before he let anything happen to her, because he just can't lose her, he can't. She's one off the only family he has left.

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* * *

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"Thranduil?" Tharwen asked softly.

Thranduil had grew deathly quiet. If Tharwen could see something other than blurs, she would have seen his face disthraught, his hands trembling and tears streaming down his face.

She would have seen Thranduil's mask fall apart piece by piece. His cobalt blue eyes lightening as tears now streaming fully and freely down his face. Sobs and gasps softly, breaking out and his hands shaking badly.

But she could hear it.

xxx

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* * *

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Thranduil couldn't let her go. He couldn't. Through blurry eyes and unsteady steps, he sat on the edge of Tharwens bed and pulled her into a hug. It wasn't a normal hug. Thranduil wanted to feel her there, he cried his tears into her chest, cries becomming louder as he clung desparately to her. He could feel his own chest heaving and coughs escaping his throat, tear wetting Tharwen's shoulder.

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Bilbo watched as the Elvenking broke down and clung to Tharwen like a lost child. He watched as each minute passed in the growing silence his thoughts chipped away at his cold and heartless exterior and showed the hobbit the King of The _Greenwood. _Bilbo watched as he cried and hiccuped into Tharwens shoulder, hands twisting the fabric off her clothes tightly, holding onto her like his life depended on it. His calm and collected composure lost in the sense of fear and anguish that engulf him with his fears of losing something, someone to be exact.

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"I don't want to lose you... Not again." He blubbered through tears, coughing fits and sobs.

"You won't lose me." She whispered to him, arms wrapping around his back and pressing kisses to the top of his head. "Not this time, not again." She stroked his hair.

"I can't lose you, without you, it won't be right. Legolas won't have anyone to look up to. I won't have anyone to turn to anymore." He sobbed.

"You won't lose me, you won't lose me, never, I will never go again. I won't go." She promised him.

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Tharwen could feel his tears, his shoulders shaking under her arms, his breath coming in shaky gasps. She looked up at a shadow that passed. _Bilbo! _She thought,fingers carding through Thranduils hair.

Tharwen shot a glare that said 'Do not tell anyone about this or else you're dead.' in Bilbo's direction before softly whispering a lullaby to Thranduil.

"Melmë nóren sina, núra ala Eäro nu.  
Ilfirin nairelma, ullumë nucuvalmë.  
Nauva i nuava.

Ú i vethed nâ i onnad,  
Si boe ú-dhanna.  
Ae ú-esteli, esteliach nad.

Estelio han, estelio han, estelio,  
estelio han, estelio veleth,  
Esteliach nad, estelio han.

Ai! laurië, lantar lassi súrinen,  
yéni únotimë ve, ramar aldaron!  
yéni ve lintë...  
Et Eärello Endorenna utúlien.  
Sinomë maruvan ar Hildinyar tenn' Ambar metta.

Uich gwennen na 'wananth ah na dhín.  
An uich gwennen na ringyrn ambar hen.  
Boe naid bain gwannathar.  
Boe cuil ban firitha.  
Boe naer gwannathach...

Naur vi eryn,  
Ianc i dalaf.  
Mathach vi geven?  
Nostach wi 'willith?  
Mâb le i nagor,  
Bâd gurth vi ngalad firiel.  
Dortach vi mar han?  
Dagrathach go hain?"

She sang to him, feeling him melt into her embrace, he stopped sobbing but was stilll sniffling with his head pressed into her shoulder.

"You promise me, that if you join this fight brother. You won't give up, not on me, not on yourself?" She asked putting two fingers under his chin and tilting his head up to look at her, his cerulean eyes still filled with unshed tears.

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Bilbo slipped out off the room at the ask off the promise and escaped down to the dungeons to see the dwarves.

"Tharwen, how is she?" Thorin asked as he popped back into view.

"She's with Thranduil."

"With him? Why?" He asked softly, looking at Bilbo.

"I can't tell you." Bilbo said.

"Why?" Thorin asked in a hurt tone.

"It's not my place to tell." Bilbo shook his head.

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"But you, you're-"

"No buts, you promise me, Thranduil, you promise me. You promise me you won't give up."

_Tharwen could remember the time when they were children, Thranduil fell down a small cliff while they were hunting, she remember how scared she was when he stopped breathing as he hit the ground. He stopped moving, the few minutes, that felt like hours, and then he opened his eyes, the same cerulean eyes, looking up at her with tears flooding down his face. The terror off losing him caught her as she could do nothing but hold him as he cried._

_"You promise me, Thrandy, you promise me. You promise me you won't give up." She heard herself tell him. "We'll be alright, we'll be just fine. Okay, I promise you, whatever happens, we'll be alright. You promise me? You won't give up hope that we'll be alright." _

_She remember him asking her if she was going to leave him there, if she was going to leave him. His tears had already soaked into the front off her shirt._

_"I won't leave you." She said softly, she cradled his head in her lap and pressed as kiss to his forehead. "I promise you I won't leave you."_

"I won't give up. I won't." He promised her. He nuzzeled his nose into her neck.

"I know you won't. I just needed to know that you'll promise me that." She said with a soft, gentle smile.

**Translations (Sindarin):**

***These are parts from the Elven lullabies in Lotr.**

**Ú i vethed nâ i onnad.  
Si boe ú-dhanna.  
Ae ú-esteli, esteliach nad.  
Estelio han, estelio han, estelio,  
estelio han, estelio veleth.  
Esteliach nad, estelio han.**

'It's not the end, it is the beginning.  
You mustn't falter now.  
If you don't trust it, trust something.  
Trust this, trust this, trust,  
Trust this, trust love.  
You trust something, trust this.'

**Melmë nóren sina  
núra ala Eäro nur  
Ilfirin nairelma  
ullumë nucuvalmë  
Nauva i nauva**

Our love for this land  
Is deeper than the deeps  
Of the sea.  
Our regret is undying  
Yet we will cast all away  
Rather than submit.  
What should be shall be.

**Ai! laurië lantar lassi súrinen,  
yéni únotimë ve ramar aldaron!  
yéni ve lintë…  
Et Eärello Endorenna utúlien.  
Sinomë maruvan ar Hildinyar tenn' Ambar-metta!**

'Alas! golden leaves fall in the wind,  
long years numberless as the wings of trees!  
Long years like swift…'  
'Out of the Great Sea to Middle-earth I am come.  
In this place I will abide, and my heirs, unto the ending of the world!'

**Uich gwennen na 'wanath ah na dhín.  
An uich gwennen na ringyrn ambar hen.  
Boe naid bain gwannathar,  
Boe cuil ban firitha.  
Boe naer gwannathach…**

'You are not bound to loss and silence.  
For you are not bound to the circles of this world.  
All things must pass away,  
All life is doomed to fade.  
Sorrowing you must go…

**Naur vi eryn,  
lanc i dalaf.  
Mathach vi geven?  
Nostach vi 'wilith?  
Mâb le i nagor,  
Bâd gurth vi ngalad firiel.  
Dorthach vi mar han?  
Dagrathach go hain?**

'The woods are burning,  
the ground lies bare.  
Do you feel it in the earth?  
Can you smell it in the air?  
The war is upon you,  
Death moves in the fading light.  
Are you part of this world?  
Will you join their fight?'

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**Note: Thank you for all the follows, favourites and reads. Thank you.**

**This chapter is an insight to Tharwen (Lath'rien's) and Thranduil's relationship.**

**:D**


	14. AN: About Thranduil and Tharwen

**Note: Anyone who read that little note thingy about Tharwen and Thranduil having a completely platonic relationship... IGNORE THAT PLEASE! Well, they aren't dating or in love or anything, but they have known each other since they were children. Please, please please keep that in mind, Thranduil has always harboured a teeny teeny tiny crush on Tharwen. So her flashbacks/memories for the next few chapters will have some sort off reflection on her and Thranduil.**


	15. White embers burst to flames

Tharwen held Thranduil who curled into a ball on her lap. He wasn't asleep, just looking at her longingly and sadly, playing with her hair that fell over her shoulders.

"It feels like we're little again, doesn't it?" He asked softly.

"We'll always be children at heart."

"Yes. You'll always be my little sister right?" He asked, twirling her hair in between two fingers, with wide, innocent eyes.

Tharwen smiled gently down at Thranduil.

He looked so vulnerable and scared, Tharwen kissed his forehead softly and hugged him closer, whispering in his ear. "I'll always be your little baby sister Thrandy. No matter what happens."

"I love you." Thranduil said smiling, half braiding Tharwens hair.

"I love you too."

There was a small silence before Thranduil spoke up again.

"Remember when we used to fool around, and you promised if you never met your One, you would love me?" He asked, sitting up so he could rest his head on Tharwen's shoulder.

"Yes I do, and I meant it."

"You told me, that you told Thorin you couldn't love any other race... Why did you tell him that?"

"Because I didn't want to tell him I did not love him. It's not fair for him, to love me when my heart does not return his feelings." She said, leaning back with Thranduil still resting against her shoulder and staring up at the ceiling, well she would, if she could see.

"You lied to him."

"It's better than what would have happened, with Dharwen dead, there's no one the Kiz'lan can attempt to attack. If I grow too attached to them now, I'll lose them. I'm doing this to keep everyone safe." She said, leaning her head against his.

* * *

"The snow glows white on the mountain tonight,  
Not a footprint to be seen.  
A kingdom of isolation,  
And it looks like I'm the Queen.

The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside,  
Couldn't keep it in, heaven knows I tried.

Don't let them in, don't let them see,  
Be the good girl you always have to be.  
Conceal, don't feel, don't let them know,  
Well, now they know.

Let it go, let it go,  
Can't hold it back anymore.  
Let it go, let it go,  
Turn away and slam the door.

I don't care,  
What they're going to say.  
Let the storm rage on,  
The cold never bothered me anyway.

It's funny how some distance.  
Makes everything seem small,  
And the fears that once controlled me.  
Can't get to me at all.

It's time to see what I can do,  
To test the limits and break through.  
No right, no wrong, no rules for me,  
I'm free.

Let it go, let it go,  
I am one with the wind and sky.  
Let it go, let it go,  
You'll never see me cry.

Here I stand,  
And here I'll stay,  
Let the storm rage on.

My power flurries through the air into the ground.  
My soul is spiraling in frozen fractals all around.  
And one thought crystallizes like an icy blast,  
I'm never going back,  
The past is in the past.

Let it go, let it go,  
When I'll rise like the break of dawn.  
Let it go, let it go,  
That perfect girl is gone.

Here I stand,  
In the light of day.  
Let the storm rage on,  
The cold never bothered me anyway."

She sang softly, the room soon shining with a soft bright glow.

"Your magic." Thranduil said watching, softly gasping as swirls simmered on the wall infront off them, leaving patterns carved into the walls.

Tharwen slung an arm around Thranduil, eyelids dropping low and a small smile playing on her lips.

"Is it beautiful brother?" She asked him.

"Yes it is, just like you." He complimented.

Tharwen closed her eyes, the magic and Thranduil's presence brought back memories, emotions and a sense of security.

* * *

_"You have to be careful. This fight could might as well kill you." Dharwen whispered to her with a worried expression etched onto his face._

_"I'll be allright, if anything happens I know when to shift." She replied._

_He cupped her face and pressed a soft kiss to her cheek. "I could never live with myself if you got hurt." He pulled her into a tight embrace, holding her close._

_"We have to fight for our people, for our land." Tharwen said, tilting Dharwen's head up to look at him with fiery eyes. "We can do this." She smiled._

_They looked out over the battlements and gazed down at the army below the walls. They were gruesome creatures, with marred flesh and scared spirits, glowing red eyes with sharp teeth. In the center of the army stood a man cloaked in black leather and armour, helmet on his head and spear raised in one hand and a mace in the other._

_He seemed to lock eyes with Tharwen, giving her a sadistic grin and drew a line across his throat..._

* * *

The memory shifted as Tharwen saw her own past, Thranduil, Elrond, Glorfindel and her arguing among each other before she had shoved Elrond into a stream, Thranduil being done the same by Glorfindel.

* * *

_"That was mean!" Thranduil spluttered as he and Elrond waded out from the stream and proceded to hug her and Glorfindel._

_"Don't get my clothes wet!" She shouted when Thranduil lunged at her._

_"Shouldn't have pushed me in darling!" Thranduil said catching her and lifting her up in a hug._

_As she was lifted over Thranduil's head she could see Elrond tackled into the ground and Glorfindel on top of him, ruffling his hair with a wide grin on his face._

_"Best friends forever!" Glorfindel cried out as Thranduil and Tharwen joined the two rolling on the ground._

_"Definitely!" She smiled before bursting into giggles as Thranduil and Elrond began poking her sides, Glorfindel holding her legs._

_"I love you all." He managed through her gasps and the boys stopped._

_She was then wrapped by three sets off sweaty limbs and sweaty, wet and cold chests that squashed her between each other, arms and legs wrapping around her like vices._

_"Awee." Elrond cooed._

_Glorfindel pressed kisses to her face as Thranduil squeezed her harder in a hug. _

_"I love you too." He said looking at her with his eyes wide and innocent, before they, the four off them, were forced to face the darkening world, as they glazed over with tears._

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__Tharwen could hear Thranduil's unspoken words that were in his eyes.

* * *

_"I love you, I'll love you forever and ever. You, me, Elrond and Glorfindel." His eyes said._

_She felt her own eyes tearing up as Elrond and Glorfindel chimed in with cries of, "Me three." and "Me four!"_

_"I love you all!" She says again, mnaging to wrap her arms around the three off them._

The scene switched and she saw herself in her own room, curled up on the bed, the edge off a letter gripped in her hand and tissues scattered across the floor. Face flushed red, eyes sore and bloodshot from crying.

_"Lath'rien!" Someone knocked on the door._

_They were older now. Who would guess, they didn't drift apart like most of their other friendships they hand._

_It was a week before Tharwen's birthday, she remembered that day because she was crying in her room, her father told her that King Oropher and Prince Thranduil could not attend the ceremony._

_"Thrandy!" She threw the door open and jumped into his arms, tears still streaming down her face, wrapping her arms and legs around the Prince off Greenwood who caught her, but stumbled back._

_"Why are you crying?" He asked, pulling her back slightly too look at her. "Did something happen?"_

_"Father said you weren't coming." She sobbed, pulling back into Thranduil's chest. _

_"It was supposed to be a surprise." Thranduil said softly, tucking loose strands off her light brown hair behind her ears._

_"It sucked." She said, forcing a laugh._

_"I'm here now." He said, putting Tharwen down and wrapping his arms around her shoulders to pull her in for a proper hug._

_"I thought you weren't coming." She shook her head, smile breaking out across her face, pressing a kiss to Thranduil's lips._

_He smiled into the kiss and backed her into the room, closing the door behind him. "Now you know I'd never miss it." He whispered, closing his eyes and wrapping Tharwen in his arms._

_They stood there for a while, slowly, on the floor, small trails off white flames spread out from beneath the twos feet. There was no heat from the flames, just fire and light. It glowed with fierceness and power, creating patterns that ran around the room, engraved into the stone off the walls and ceiling, frost grew on the ceiling while the flames grew brighter beneath their feet._

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__Tharwen felt Thranduil turn and wrap his arms around her waist gently. She leaned into his embrace even more and Thranduil breathed on her neck.

* * *

_Skin against skin, the rising heat, that they made... intense touches and lips pressed against each other desperately. Bodies wanting more contact. Their breatheless gasps as they broke apart in the need for air. The white glow off the new flames that had grew and crawled up the side off the room bathed his body, causing him to glow with a silver lining above her._

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_"Tharwen!" He gasps as the break apart to breathe. He's thrusting into her deeper and harder. The heat off the moment is unbearable._

* * *

_"I love you." She breathes as he thrusts into her one last time, claiming her._

* * *

_They lay side by side, breathing heavily, legs intertwined, arms around each other in a mass off tangled limbs, the heat still keeping both off them warm as they came down from their highs._

* * *

_"I love you Tharwen." He whispers to her, holding her as she snuggles into his chest for warmth._

* * *

_When Tharwen wakes up the next morning with Thranduil's arms around her. She can't feel more happier in her life, she's content, happy, at peace, but there's a puzzle piece missing and she know Thranduil isn't her one._

* * *

_When Thranduil wakes up, he can tell just by the tension in the room, he isn't her one, but he isn't downcasted by the notion, instead he takes her in his arms and kisses her neck briefly. He tells her promises, that it doesn't matter, that he'll love her no matter what, and he still keeps the promise. They both know that last night wasn't because she hoped he was her one, or he wanted to know if she was hers, last night was pure love and friendship coming together in desperate moments._

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_Tharwen wanted Thranduil to be there when she needed him and when she didn't need him she still wanted him around. Thranduil wanted to show Tharwen love she had never been shown before. The devotion to her heart, to keeping her safe, yet allowing her to grow and become the beautiful queen she was today._

* * *

She didn't realise she was sharing memories with Thranduil until she heard Thranduil's thoughts in her head.

_"I promised you I'd love you." He whispers as they both lay on the bed, curled up in each others embrace._

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**More off Thranduil and Tharwen. Hope you enjoyed it, review if you could? Please? Feedback would be helpful.**


	16. King and Lionheart

_Howling ghosts – they reappear_  
_In mountains that are stacked with fear_  
_But you're a king and I'm a lionheart._  
_And in the sea that's painted black,_  
_Creatures lurk below the deck_  
_But you're a king and I'm a lionheart._

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'_Howling ghosts – they reappear  
__In mountains that are stacked with fear  
__But you're a king and I'm a lionheart.  
__And in the sea that's painted black,  
__Creatures lurk below the deck  
__But you're a king and I'm a lionheart.  
__A lionheart.'_

_White embers are falling from the sky and Thranduil and Tharwen are standing together as the aftermath of Tharwen's magic burns everything in sight till the horizen, leaving charred lands and small white fires burning around them._

_There's burnt and marred flesh of dead bodies around them, some recognizable helmets, belonging to orcs, goblins and the gruesome creatures that serve the Kiz'lan, others too burnt to be recognized._

_Blood is glinting in the white flames and Tharwen can hear Thranduil whispering to her, pinning a brooch to her leather vest over her armour. He cups her neck with both hands, locking his fingers and he gives her a kiss on the cheek._

_Realization hits her and so does grief and she breaks down crying, falling to her knees and Thranduil follows her, kneeling in front off her as she cries for Dharwen._

**_' "We have to fight for our people, for our land." Tharwen said, tilting Dharwen's head up to look at him with fiery eyes. "We can do this." She smiled._**

**_They looked out over the battlements and gazed down at the army below the walls. They were gruesome creatures, with marred flesh and scared spirits, glowing red eyes with sharp teeth. In the center of the army stood a man cloaked in black leather and armour, helmet on his head and spear raised in one hand and a mace in the other._**

**_He seemed to lock eyes with Tharwen, giving her a sadistic grin and drew a line across his throat...'_**

_She holds onto Thranduil as she cries, screams into the air, shouts and curses at the sky before growing quiet. She can feel a burn in her heart and suddenly one half, she feels, grows cold and she loses some off her will to live._

_She becomes aware that Thranduil's holding her still, tears falling freely from his eyes as well, one off his hands carding through her hair, offering comfort. He whispers to her and tells her everything will be alright again._

Tharwen opens her eyes, blinking the sleep away and finds that she's still curled up with Thranduil, she could feel his soft breathing, his breath hitting her neck at every exhale where he's burried his face into the side off her neck. She could hear his soft, kitten like snores that she deemed adorable from the beginning off their friendship. She could smell the berry essence in his shampoo, the one she deemed was way to girly for Thranduil to use. She could feel the bare skin of his palm resting on her forearm comfortably and protectively.

"Cold as ice and more bitter than a december winter night, that's how I treated you, and I know that I sometimes I tend to lose my temper and that I cross the line. That's the truth, I know it gets hard sometimes but I could never leave your side. No matter what I say, cause if I wanted to go I would have gone by now but, I really need you near me to keep my mind off the edge. If I wanted to leave I would have left by now but you're the only one that knows me, better than I know myself." She confessed, turning to gaze down at Thranduils' blurry figure cuddled into her side. "You stopped me from losing my mind." She smiled down at him, feeling him stir.

"Hey." He mumbled to her softly.

"Hi." She said softly, feeling strangly more content than usual.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

"Bored." Her reply came with a gentle smile. "Hungry." She listed, turning to face him. "Trapped."

"I think, I still have your violin. If you want to play?"

"You kept it?" She asked, forcing herself to sit up.

"Of course I did, what kind off brother would I be if I didn't keep one off your most prized possessions." He retorted.

"A pretty bad one." She joked looking at him with a bright smile.

"Of course." He drawled sarcastically.

"Yes, dear brother, because you would be the most idiotic in the world to get rid off my violin, especially when I'm so attached to it, more than it is possibly safe for my mental health." She shot back with the same amount of mirth in her tone.

"Of course it isn't safe for your mental health, you're attraction to the thing is un-natural and drives me crazy wondering why you got one that looks so dark and solemn."

"The thing was painted black tôr iuar", not like you'd understand with your ugly taste in clothes. Your favourite colour is silver, although it brings out your hair quite nicely and your eyes. I prefer dark clothing anyway you know that!" She ranted.


	17. Chapter 16

_((Previously in Chapter 15)_

_"What do you believe?" She mocked before sighing, "I will go with them, only to see Bilbo stay safe and that stubborn dwarf does not hurt him if he falls to the gold sickness."_

_"And what I am to do to convince you that you should stay here?"_

_"Nothing, because I have made up my mind." She said.)_

Thorin never knew what Mahâl had planned for him in this life, he always thought he'd stay in Erebor, leading wars every so often and ruling over his people. He thought he'd find a dwarrow-dam and make her his queen, he thought he'd have his brother and sister as his advisors, by his side when he needed them. He always imagined the perfect life. Mahâl save him, this was not what he prepared for, at all.

He had learnt when he was younger, a king reserved his love for his people, as he could never share his own fully with another, but yet he thought he knew love, he thought he knew grief.

He thought he knew love when he was in Erebor, with his father, a wise king, his mother, the princess consort, with her wise words and calming expression, her caring nature and how she was fiercely loyal. His brother, who was the shining sun in his life, inheriting his mother's golden hair and her jaw and nose, who's laugh was deep and raspy, yet when he drank too much ale, grew loud and booming. like a rumble of thunder before a storm, his smile was one only reserved for family, _that stupid smile he had on his face, even at the doors off death_. His sister by his side, calm and cool like the earth, she was always the smart one, quick to judge yet quick to accept, it sounded all quite contradictory, but that was Dis, like from the rock she was carved from, she was head strong, could handle her own in any fight, could stand up for those and others. Stubborn as an ox, but as wise as an owl. She was the stone and the earth, holding him up when he felt like he was falling.

If Frerin was the sun, and Dis the earth, Thorin was the moon. Cold and distant, but always there if you just looked. He was either out fighting or inside writing, never one for parties and celebrations, he supposed, that's what made the three, who they were, it made them the three heirs of Durin, the two princes and the princess.

Thorin thought he knew grief when Erebor fell, losing your home was never an easy thing, but to lose it so easily. He thought he knew grief when his mother died. He thought he knew it when he watched his grandfather fall to Azog the Defiler. He thought he knew grief when he held his baby brother in his arms, blood dribbling down Frerin's chin as he coughed up blood, giving Thorin that perfect smile of his, saying he would see him in the afterlife. He thought he knew, when his father left on this very same quest and was found tortured, halfway into madness.

He thought he couldn't love again until he found out that his sister was pregnant with child. He was happy for his sister, her and Vílli, that idiotic dwarf who he'd grown to love as a brother, with his blonde hair and azure eyes that matched Frerin's, were overjoyed, what surprised Thorin, was what he felt when Dis let him carry Fili in his arms. The overwhelming desire to protect baby Fili shocked him, he didn't want to let him go, wanted to keep him curled up in his chest, train him with the sword and axe, help him learn to ride a pony and look after him like the uncle he deserves and the uncle he'll never meet. Five years later he feels exactly the same, Kili comes along and it's the same thing with both him and Fili, since he was born, Fili could never be separated from Kili, he was the first to hold him, first to make Kili smile, to draw a garbled giggle from Kili with cooed promises to keep him safe and look after him.

He feels grief again, and this time, so does Dis and Fili, Kili too young to understand that, his adad isn't coming home to him anymore, he's only three, and Fili eight, too young to be exposed to so much pain. Vílli takes an axe to the neck, meant for him, so that Erid Luin could have a king. Then he's holding Vílli in his arms and it feels like the Battle of Azanulbizar, and he's holding Frerin in his arms smiling even in death all over again, but the words are different, they're making him promise to be the father Kili will never have, the father Fili will need when he gets back to Dis and the boys, that he'll look after them. He's pleading with him to keep his eyes focused and to look at him, that'll he'll make it home to the boys and be the father Thorin could never be, but by the end off it, there's tears running down Vílli's face, and Thorin's too. He gives Vílli a proper burial, closes his eyes, then returns with the rest off their party to break the bad news to Dis. Kili was crying, curled up in Thorin's and clutching his hair tightly, Fili stands there, frozen, his azure eyes glossed over, staring into empty space, he stays like that for what feels like hours, then he lets out a screech, that's crossed with a sob, it snaps Kili out of his crying and he stares at his brother in complete confusion. Thorin doesn't know what to do, he just holds them, and he knows in his heart he'll do anything to protect his nephews.

He was never good with many outside his own race, let alone elves, or anything with elven blood in him. He never forgave Thranduil for turning his back on Erebor or helping them reclaim the Mines of Moria, he blamed them to be the reason that so many died that day, including his little brother Frerin. He never forgave Thranduil for leaving them to wander the wilderness after Erebor was claimed by Smaug. Where he led his people, the sense of death followed behind, they lost anyone who was too injured or too sick to follow.

He never forgave the taunts off men as he worked as a blacksmith, earning what ever he could for his people.

He never forgot.

Thorin never thinks he'll fall in love, let alone with someone from outside his race. He doesn't expect to fall in love for the rest of his life, he thinks love is only a seed for grief to grow and he avoids it. He doesn't want to. So when he firsts meets Tharwen, as she came crashing through the undergrowth on a horse, glaring straight at the wizard_ - with that glare that rivaled his on a bad day_-he just felt something inside him snap.

He was intrigued, not at first, he was wary, she was secretive, took to the Halfling, Nori and Bofur, his nephews, other than that keeping to herself, muttering and mumbling under her breath, making calculations out loud when she thought no one was listening.

Her right hand adorned with rings, studded with gems, whilst a simple plain silver ring lay on her middle finger.

'Till death do us part.' He heard her say one night.

He saw grief in her eyes, and he could recognize pain in her eyes. Through the smiles she sent everyones way and the laughs that were smooth and calming, he saw her hide her pain.

He wanted to hold her like Vílli held Dis when they heard the news about their father, comforting her and making her feel happy again.

He pinpoints the moment where he actually falls in love with her; when he sees her with the Elves at Rivendell, he knows he wants to be the reason for her smiles, and her laughter. He wants to chase the darkness away and hold her heart in his hands, or lock it in a chest and throw away the key so he won't break it.

But he doesn't want to break his own.

* * *

They were guided out off the forest by a trio of silent elves that Tharwen didn't recognize.

"Is everyone okay? No one got hurt?" Tharwen asked, glancing up and noticing the leaves falling, in vibrant shades of red, orange and brown.

A chorus of no's was thrown back and she nodded. "Autumn..." She muttered, eyes glancing at Thorin fleetingly.

"We don't have that much time." Balin said knowingly.

"We need to get to Esgaroth. Quickly."

"There's still a journey off a day or two." Thorin said consulting his map, and Tharwen can find it in herself to give them a small, gentle smile, until she remembers what's lying under all the gold in that Mahal forsaken mountain.

_'Two days until we face Smaug.' _She thought, smile dropping into a frown.

"You look deep in thought. Anything we should be concerned about?" Balin asked her.

"No, just... wondering whether the past effects the future." She replied.

"If you're worried about the orcs, I doubt they could make it through that forest." Nori added.

"Even if they went into that forest, Thranduil won't let 'em get out, he owes me that much."

"What would Thranduil, do to help with this quest?" Thorin asked.

"Who do you think bargained with him to let you go?"

"You didn't? What did you do?" He half-growled.

_-"We had a deal!" She remember Dharwen screaming at the gruesome creature kneeling over him, pinning him to the floor, knife in his side. He coughs out blood and she can feel the life draining out on him-_

-_Tharwen can see the fire in his eyes when he gets up, pushes himself off the wall and he grins, grins so widely, showing his full canines and his grin then twists into a sadistic smile, Dharwen's laying on his back, coughing up blood, choking out profanities-_

_-She hold his head in her lap and half her heart dies with him, it doesn't hurt as much as she thought it would, and she relives that nightmare every night for the next few months. Remembering how pathetic and weak she felt as he died-_

_-There's a commotion in the courtyard, and she runs out onto the balcony, her baby brother is in a stretcher, there's a sword in his chest and slashes running up and across his abdomen. A healer's trying to staunch the bleeding, pressing down hard but by the waxy undertone of his skin, turned a sickly yellow and the gushing blood slowing down, there's blood dribbling down his chin, a cut above his left eyebrow, and his arm can't move, his wrist mangled and twisted out of shape-_

_-Another healer puts a salve on Fharwen's eyes and a week later when he opens them, they're pure white and she knows he'll never see again, always to be considered vulnerable-  
_

_-The thing, it would always be a thing with it's dark eyes and marred face, laughs, and laughs and laughs, and taunts her until she shifts, and she unleashes her magic-_

"What did you do?"

"We made a deal, after a while, we argued for a bit, then fought, a lot of yelling was involved." She said bluntly.

"What would he want from you?"

"Something I promised him when we were children."

"What?" Thorin narrowed his eyes.

"My soul, for your freedom." She muttered, shrugging nonchalantly.

"Your soul- What do you mean?"

"It's something I think you don't need to know." She said.

"But."

"Just drop it."

"I think that we should discuss this." Bilbo said softly. "Tharwen you know the consequences of what you've done?'

"And I really don't think this is an appropriate place to do this." She retorted, "Shall we get moving?" She asked Thorin.

He looked uncertainly at her, then at the amber leaves falling onto the ground, and he nods. "We move out and rest at sundown." He ordered and the company gathered what remained of their packs that the elves had given them, and set off. Tharwen's mind wandering back to Thranduil and Mirkwood, although it would always be the Greenwood to her. _Always._

* * *

_I really didn't want to make you all wait for this, but from now onwards, since I made an updating schedule that I'll try to follow, I'll try updating every Saturday, next update will be on the 15/3 and it will continue from then._

_Hope you enjoyed this, I hope it wasn't __angsty._

_2,242 words; I'm surprised I managed that, since I'm currently studying for a few exams and assessments that are all on the same week, next week actually, so I won't update this Saturday but the next, and so on._


	18. Chapter 17

**_Chapter 17:::::: UNTITLED:::::_**

**_Previously on Chapter 16:_**

_((He looked uncertainly at her, then at the amber leaves falling onto the ground, and he nods. "We move out and rest at sundown." He ordered and the company gathered what remained of their packs that the elves had given them, and set off. Tharwen's mind wandering back to Thranduil and Mirkwood, although it would always be the Greenwood to her. Always.))_

Dwalin was always suspicious of other races, they either looked down on him because off his height, or the fact he was covered in scars, had a long beard, was a dwarf.

When he met that fussy little hobbit, who had treated them as respectfully as he could as they arrived, obviously unaware that the dwarrows were to be coming to dinner, was kind enough to give him his food, his supper, and in the end joined this mad quest.

Dwalin, although no one ever really noticed, was extremely observant.

He met Tharwen; there was something about the girl, Dwalin couldn't quite pinpoint, he first thought it was how she spoke about her race with so much passion and wonder, or how she kept to Nori, Bofur, the princes and the hobbit. Then he thought it was because her glares and scowls could rival Thorin's, like when Dis pushed him into raging rapids when his beard came in before hers. Or was it the soft smiles she gave that reminded him of Balin. It could have been that she treated everyone, excluding Thorin and Gandalf, fairly and had offered to help them.

Then he noticed her unwavering loyalty, her caring nature, the kindness she offered, her fiery passion when it came to those she cared about, how unnaturally beautiful she was when fought, it looked like her blades were dancing in the fire light.

It was her carefree nature around the elves that first pushed him to want to forge a friendship with her. She had told them, _'I know them, I can trust them.' _She had let them coddle and hold her.

But he could not shake the looks off grief she gave the company once they had passed Beorns.

It was like despair had settled into her heart and had locked it's talons into the sides, unrelenting and unwavering. She watched the company with a sad frown on her face, before putting a fake smile and forcing a fake laugh.

The walkway to Lake Town was just a rickety old jetty. At the gates, there were two guards, with mugs of ale on a small table in between them and weapons leaning against the wooden walls.

They managed to make it three quarters across the walkway before the guards had noticed them and called out for them to stop.

"Stop! Who are you and why are you entering this town?" One asked, fumbling for his sword.

"I am Thorin, son of Thrain, son or Thror, King Under The Mountain."

"You're a dwarf." The other guard said in wonder.

"And you're an idiot." Nori added in return.

"We wish to speak to the Master of this town if you will." Balin said diplomatically to the two guards.

"And you say you are the King of the mountain?" The Master of Lake Town asked.

Thorin nodded in conformation.

"We have come to ask for your permission to stay in your town for a few days." Balin said calmly. "We have had a long journey and are very weary."

"O-of course." The Master bumbled in surprise.

"Thank you." Thorin thanked.

"Also, if you could provide for a way for use to acquire transport to the mountain. It would be appreciated." Balin added.

"Y-yes, yes of course. Good sir." He stumbled and gave a nod of gratitude.

"Now if we could leave, we would like to get some rest, we are tired." Thorin said and the Master nodded.

"I thought you would be asleep." Thorin said, walking out to the balcony, seeing Tharwen sitting in a chair with her knees pulled up against her chest chin resting against them, staring out into the moonlit night.

"I will get some sleep later." She said softly.

"You've been quiet, what's wrong." He took in her appearance. Dark circles under her eyes, looking like she'd been punched in the face. Her face had become pale and her skin was waxy.

"When a Tharken sells their soul, it means they are mated with someone after they have met their bonded." She explained tiredly. "And since my bonded is dead, half my soul is spent. And the rest of it is back in that forest."

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"When I was younger, the night before my coming of age, I bonded with someone that wasn't my bonded, so my soul was partially intertwined with theirs. I promised them, if anything had happened to my bonded, I would give them what was left of my soul." She squeezed her eyes shut.

"Thorin." She said painfully. "Why is this such a big deal to you?"

_Because I want to keep you safe, because I want to lock you away with all the gold in Erebor and not let anyone come near you, because I love you._

Thorin did not voice those concerns instead, he answered her with a determined scowl on his face.

"Because I care about you."

"This isn't a fairytale Thorin, it won't be happily ever after." Her nose crinkled in annoyance.

"I never said that it would be." He snapped.

"But you expect it to be don't you? Have you ever thought that you might die because off this quest, that Fili and Kili might lose their uncle, the dwarves of Erebor would lose their king. That I could lose you? I've seen many die in my life, I don't think I could see anyone else, in this company, die, _especially you_."

Thorin froze, the thought off being so close to home, had diverted him from his concentration, from his focus, and he'd forgotten his company. She didn't have to raise her voice to make him feel ashamed. Did he really want to risk his nephews, his One and kin? Without thinking first.

"You underestimate how much people care for you Thorin Oakenshield."

"I.." He trailed off, unable to answer.

"You, are their leader. You, are their king. You belong in that mountain, leading your people and giving them a peaceful life. Don't waste your life, and go reclaim your kingdom." She said. "Then maybe I can get back to mine." She muttered under her breath.

"You're crazy, you're crazy but I love you. You're stubborn, wise, caring, loyal, crazy, beautiful, and I love you for it. I'd give up this dammed quest for you." He sighed.

"Go to sleep Thorin." She said softly.

"But?"

"No, we aren't going to discuss this. Go. To. Sleep."

_"Where are you? Where are you hiding? Where are you little one?" It was a gruesome being, marred and rotten flesh, fresh and dried blood splattered on his face. It's twisted grin and sadistic laugh flooded her mind, haunting her memories._


End file.
